The Ghost of High Christmas Expectations

From Dec. 5, 2009 -

My little girl and I went to see the Nutcracker puppet show at the library. I was so uptight about being late that I almost ruined the whole dang experience. So often I have this attitude like "WE WILL BE HAPPY! WE WILL HAVE FUN!! WE WILL HAVE THE PERFECT EXPERIENCE EVEN IF IT KILLS ME!!!"

Fortunately, My girl was her bright and shiny self, even though she boycotted her morning nap. She had more fun looking and smiling at the kids than looking at the puppets. Once again, learning important lessons from a 13 month old child.

Today (Dec. 20, 2009) - I read a passage from a book by Buddhist Nun Pema Chodron that summed up my frantic desire to have everything just right. "The key to feeling at home with your body, mind and emotions, to feeling worthy to live on this planet, comes from being able to lighten up. This earnestness, this seriousness about everything in our lives - including practice - this goal-oriented, we're-going-to-do-it-or-else attitude, is the world's greatest killjoy. There's no sense of appreciation because we're so solemn about everything."

You can say that again.

Last night, we trimmed our cute little Charlie Brown Christmas tree. I'll post a picture if I get a chance. My husband bought it because I was getting uptight about it getting so close to Christmas and all we had was our ugly tiny fake tree that can't stand up under all my heavy ornaments. So he picked one up while I was at work and the first thing I thought when I saw it was -- what's up with the scrawny tree? He even paid full price for it (he totally got took) - but I didn't say anything -- you know why? 'Cause he's not into Christmas, and doesn't care about a tree. He did the Christmas tree thing for me, so why am I then gonna criticize because it's not perfect? Besides, just like with Charlie Brown's tree, someone's gotta love the scrawny ones too. So we listed to the Jackson 5 Christmas album and actually had fun putting the ornaments on. And I'm trying to learn to have fun even when things aren't perfect. One day at a time.

Being an Actual Librarian, For Once

I'm thinking about taking some time over Christmas to re-read books that I loved as a kid, but that, when I try to booktalk them, I try way too hard to rely on my memories of the book from when I was 8, 9, 10, or so, and end up stammering and driving the kids away from the books by really not doing them justice with my description.

(What a lovely run-on sentence THAT was.)

I'm also thinking about reading some Children's Lit classics that I always wanted to read. What is a classic? That will be defined by me, since I'll be reading them.

I wonder if I'll punk out?

I also reserve the right to stop reading any of them at any point, since I'm not in school and life is too short to read bad books (or books that are just boring you at the time.) I remember being discussing some books with fellow librarians a few years ago. If I remember correctly, it was the consensus that one particular book (I don't remember which -- no, I really don't) was tough to drag ourselves through. One person said: "why did you keep reading the book?" and we all, including librarians who had been doing this a lot longer than me, kinda looked incredulous. Someone said something to the effect of not wanting to give up on it in case it got good at the end.

I've heard that again and again, and it makes me feel like I'm not alone in my zealousness to "finish. that. stinkin'. book.", but also so glad that I heard the other person ask why we kept on reading -- because it gave me permission to stop reading a book that is so bad it makes me want to puncture my eyeballs. Of course, do I take advantage of this right? No. But I like to think I write amusing reviews of bad books, so maybe it's serving a purpose.

supercoolhappylovegroovething

I have a backlog of little inspirational messages that are sent to me everyday.

The one for today said "what could you do, within your means and comfort level, that could make you feel like a supercoolhappylovething?" That. That's it. That word makes me happy. The only way that the word "supercoolhappylovething" could be any better is if it had the word "groove" in it too.

Also, getting off the computer before I start to curse myself for wasting time.

Enjoy your day. Or evening. Whatever. It's daytime somewhere.

Things that make you go...what!?!

I just saw a post somewhere that Gary Busey is expecting a baby with his girlfriend, and to that I say. Girlfriend? Who the heck was having sex with Gary Busey? That's just amazing to me. Everytime I think of him I think of the Entourage episode where Ari says to Gary Busey: "You're about to spin off this planet." I think that's an apt description of Busey. I get a strange feeling that he wasn't even acting; that he was just being himself in all his Gary-ness. It's just what makes life interesting.

Guess Who's Back?

Dang. Have I been gone that long?

VMA, Play by Play

Both my husband and I were left with our mouths open just now. Taylor Swift ("You Belong With Me"), Lady Gaga ("Poker Face"), Beyonce ("Single Ladies"), and Pink ("So What") were up for Best Female Video. Taylor Swift won and in the middle of her acceptance speech, Kanye West jumped up on stage and said "Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time!" Who the hell gave Kanye a mike? That was the most messed up moment I've ever seen on an awards show, more so than when Tommy Lee and Kid Rock started the fight in the audience. I've never seen Taylor Swift's video, but God knows she didn't deserve that - she seems like a sweetheart. Poor Beyonce was just sitting in the audience looking like she didn't know what to do. Next VMA's, Kanye needs to be bound and gagged.

Why are there 6 empty seats right in the two front center rows in the audience?

What the hell does Lady Gaga have on her head? Like she wrapped red lace around her head and stuck a big red pole up through the top of it. Does she think that looks good? Did anyone tell her that her performance was over? Speaking of her performance, I was typing and looked down and have no idea when or why she ended up with fake blood on her face. I guess she was saying something about the destructive nature of the paparazzi?

Thank you Green Day lead singer whose name I don't know, for saying that MTV needs to play more videos. Hear, hear. I'd gladly watch more videos in place of stupid Road Rules versus The Real World or Parental Control. The only shows I really like on MTV are Americas Best Dance Crew and True Life.

So Britney Spears' Womanizer won Best Pop Video and she was up against Beyonce's Single Ladies. Now, that's a video that didn't deserve to win against Beyonce's video. I was half expecting Kanye to jump on stage to protest that one, too, but I guess they've got him under lock and key now.

I know this is after the fact, but I really loved Madonna's tribute to Michael Jackson. It seemed heartfelt and very real. As far as I was concerned, MTV could have skipped the dancers for the other MJ songs, and jumped straight to Janet Jackson's tribute. The end with his face looking down onto the stage through the smoke was very cool.

Kristen Stewart's dress is very cute, but she looks like a tomboy dressed up for the prom, and her hair is way too dark for her face. Okay. As a librarian, I've heard a lot about how the book Twilight isn't that good and I've also heard how the movie isn't so hot either, but the extended trailer doesn't look so bad. Of course, the advertisers do have to earn their money. Um, excuse me, but what does Twilight have to do with music? Music Videos?

Beyonce just performed Single Ladies and I just have three words for her back-up dancer: Double. Sided. Tape. The dancer's butt was half hanging out of that leotard, but I have to give it to her - she kept on dancing. I've danced on stage before, and I know how important it is to keep going, and as someone who has suffered through wedgies, I know it probably wasn't easy.

If T.I. wins Best Male Video, will he accept it live from jail? That would be weird. He did win. Good for him. I'm glad it wasn't Kanye. That would be extremely very weird. What would he have to say if he won? I don't want to hear it. As an aside, T.I. cleans up really well. He's kinda skinny, but kinda hot.

I love JLo, but her outfits are so UGLY. I like Asher Roth, but what he does is NOT hip hop. Eminem won. He always does good videos, and even though I haven't seen this one, but come on, Dr. Dre is dressed up like Captain Kirk. Major coolness points. Eminem looks thinner than I remember him and very somber.

Lady Gaga's head piece actually is not a pole sticking out of red lace wrapped around her face. It's actually a jagged looking very tall crown type thing sticking out of red lace wrapped around her face. It looks like something out of a Tim Burton movie. Ugly, but points for originality.

Wow, Serena Williams looks good. She looks feminine. What does Serena Williams have to do with music? Unless she's still dating Common, which in and of itself doesn't really count.

Pink is making me nervous. She's up too high. I didn't see her all hooked up to the wires. How is she singing and doing this trapese act at the same time? I saw her in the audience before with her ex (?) husband. I hope they are back together.

Actually, Kanye called it. Beyonce won Video of the Year. But he was dead wrong and so inappropriate in coming out when he did. Oh, I'm going to cry! Beyonce called Taylor Swift out on stage so that she could finish the speech that Kanye didn't let her finish. Beyonce has so much class. Love Her! Love Her!

Lady Gaga is now wearing a birds nest around her face. Sigh.

Why is Jay-Z approaching Radio City Music Hall in a motorcade like he's the president? He's a trip. Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize he was the "Mayor of New York." At least that's what Russell Brand called him. I would have liked to see him perform with Beyonce, but I guess she needs a break. It's been a busy night for her. Besides, Alicia Keys isn't exactly sloppy seconds. Why is Lil' Mama on stage too? Fire the security company that is supposed to keep random celebrities off the stage!

Just saw the rehearsal footage trailer for Michael Jackson's tour. It looks like it would have been an amazing tour.

Russell Brand wasn't funny, except for the quip about our health care, which was right on target. Let's hope for someone else next year.

Touche!

Russell Brand on the VMA's on how England is different from the United States:
"Instead of truck, we say lorry. Instead of elevator, we say lift. Instead of letting people die in the street, we have free health care." Go on, boy! Tell the truth and shame the devil.

Retro Fisher Price

When I was a kid, I had the coolest Fisher Price toys! Remember the telephone with the moving eyes? Or the FP house with working "doorbell"? How about the FP farm, complete with cow, sheep and horse with plastic mane and tail that looked like thin licorice? I almost forgot - I also had the FP school, complete with swing set -- this was back when kids were still allowed to have recess.
I've seen the new FP people and they are cute and chunky, but I liked my choking hazard FP people - the kid with the baseball cap, and the teacher who put you in mind of what Mrs. Brady would probably look like if she was a Fisher Price person (and had a bun on top of her head). Besides, I probably wouldn't buy them for my kid until she was about 2 so she should know better than to try to eat them. Who am I kidding? I'd buy them and just play with them myself until she was ready to use them.

I mentioned the wonders of FP to my husband, who had no idea what I was talking about -- come on. Your parents didn't even get you the rolling, popping vacuum cleaner type thingy? What's up?

Even if you didn't have them at home, pediatrician's offices across the country kept kids in line with those toys in the waiting area. I know they are probably a playground for germs in public places, but it's better than the same stale video of Beauty and the Beast that I see every time I go to Kaiser.

Overheard on Project Runway

"Do you have the kitty cat inside you?" - Heidi to model Matar on why Epperson's dress was described as Romantic Tiger Punk. I love Heidi. So much that comes out of her mouth is classic, but you have to hear HER say it to get the full hilarity of it.

For more PR season 6, ep. 4, (and pics of the romantic tiger punk dress) see here.

Crazy People!

Working in a town known for having a number of residents (or visitors that never left) with a, shall we say, tenuous grip on reality, I've had my share of run-in's with some mentally incapacitated folk.

One woman scared most people on the street with her constant loud ranting and screaming of filth. Maybe I'm just ultra-sensitive, but it seemed that she saved her most vulgar invective for me. Whenever I would pass by she would look right at me and loudly call me a dirty bitch, or the n-word, or the four letter c-word, or all three, causing me to cringe and whomever happened to be close by to thank God that she wasn't singling them out today. Finally, she caught me on the wrong day. I was having just a bad enough morning that I didn't care about physical harm and when she started her shit and started to follow me with it, I turned around and yelled that I wasn't talking to her or bothering her. It shocked me and her enough that she turned around and walked away. Funny enough, the same thing once happened to me when a dog tried to attack my mom and I. I stepped in front of my mother and yelled at it to stop and go away, and it went away, seemingly stunned that I wasn't afraid. There's something about me, I guess, that makes people think that I won't fight back, and I guess usually that's the case. But not always.

Anyway, to make a long story even longer, I was at work minding my business when I woman came up to the children's reference desk and started to tell me about how the air quality in the library was so poor. I don't think she was wrong, necessarily, and I tried to tell her that our maintenance staff was aware that we had a problem with our HVAC and that might possibly account for the physical reaction that she assured me she was having to the air circulation in the building. That in and of itself wasn't the problem. it's that even after I told her that I would relay her concerns to maintenance, she continued, and went on, and on, and on, and on.

She talked about how people thought that those who were sensitive to off-gassing of various chemicals were crazy, but that now it's been proven that it affects even those of us who are not as super sensitive as she is. She talked about how she moved to be closer to the library so she could spend more time in the library and how now, after 20 minutes in the Children's Department, she feels so ill that she has to leave (of course she's spent about 10 minutes talking to me and an undisclosed amount of time in the rest of the library), and then when I told her she could fill out a suggestion form she seemed to imply that I needed to turn her complaint into my personal crusade. I needed to talk to the architects (!) and make sure they didn't do this in any other of their buildings. This even though the building was renovated over 6 years ago and I've only been working there 4 years, so even if I knew who the architects were, they've been long gone. I love (read my sarcasm) it when people want to tell you how that THEIR problem should become your life's work. Don't get me wrong, I'm not insensitive. But I had already promised her that I was going to do that which I was actually able to do. My idea to tell maintenance would probably be more effective at solving this lady's immediate problem than tracking down some architects who've long since ceased to care, if they ever did. Big sigh.

She whispered in such a soft voice I wasn't sure if the headache I was starting to get was from straining so hard to hear her or if her suggestion that the air quality was poor was starting to affect me. For the last two minutes of her complaint, another person was standing behind her waiting with a question. I repeatedly made eye contact with this other person and said, "I'll be right with you" but this woman was so into her own agenda that she never noticed and I had the hardest time cutting in to get her to STOP TALKING! After trying unsuccessfully to cut in, I finally just interrupted and said, "This young man is waiting to ask a question." To which she said, "Oh! You should have told me." (Watch me slam my head against the wall.)

Now, I'm not saying what she had to say was crazy, but her insistence that I talk to the architects (!) to fix it and prevent this from ever happening again, and her self-important self-absorption in going on and on when I told her I'd tell someone was at the very least, extremely annoying. Maybe I should have yelled STOP! GO AWAY!

Happy Birthday, Michael

Let The Work I've Done Speak For Me

Maybe it is because I am African American, and his family has historically meant a lot to African Americans. Maybe it is because I'm from New England, with family from Boston. Maybe it's because I've lost family members to cancer. Maybe it's because I am an unashamed liberal. Probably because of all of those things, I mourn the death of Senator Ted Kennedy.

I wanted to list some of the bills that he authored and helped pass, but on his senate website, the PDF listing his accomplishments was 54 pages long. While I'd like to say that I'll read it, I know I probably won't get to it soon enough to post this in a timely manner. What I saw was that he authored over 2,500 bills, hundreds of which became law. When the honors and accolades die down over the next few weeks or months, and scandalous memories are dragged out of dusty corners, his legacy as the "liberal lion of the senate" will live on. Hopefully, his dream of universal health care will not die with him.

On the cover of a local newspaper a few weeks ago was a white woman whose health problems led to her losing her job, her health coverage, and her home. I mention that she was white because, unfortunately, the general public sometimes has less sympathy for a person of color in the same situation. The attitude when you don't want to relate to someone else's plight is often: "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps; no one helped me." As untrue and callous as those statements are, the real point here is that so many of us are one serious illness, one major uncovered procedure, one disability away from the same predicament facing the woman in that article.

Peace Day, August 6

Hiroshima Peace Memorial, seen in the light of lanterns lit to honor those who died during the bombing of Hiroshima, August 6, 1945.

Top 10 Reality Show Quotes

In honor of the return of Project Runway, here are my favorite top ten reality show quotes of all time (so far).

And don't ask me what seasons these were from. What do you think, I have nothing better to do than watch TV?

10. The Oh, No, He Didn't award: "I'm not your bitch, bitch!" (Top Chef)

9. The Where's Mrs. Garrett award: " There's entirely too much tootie." (Project Runway)

8. The Biracial Butterfly award: Just about any stupidity to come out of Jade Cole's mouth. (America's Next Top Model)

7. The Oh So True/Sense Confusion award: "Whenever I'm near Jade, all I smell is - bitch." (America's Next Top Model)

6. The Where Did That Come From award: "This is not a butt-rubbing contest." (Top Chef)

5. The Repressed Sexuality award: Little girl: "I just love boobies. I love touchin' 'em, and..." Mom: (interrupting) "Stop, that's nasty." (Toddlers and Tiaras)

4. The Heidi award: "Oh. That's Baaad. But true!" (Project Runway)

3. The Do They Use Ultrabright award: "How do the letters on the Hollywood sign stay white?" (The Millionaire Matchmaker)

2. The I'll Use It When It's Convenient award: Gina saying she's in the competition to represent Asian models and then saying she doesn't date Asian men. (America's Next Top Model)

1. The Needs No Intro award: "Make it Work!" (Project Runway)

2 weeks, 2 weeks....

Whoo, hooo! Project Runway is back!

Well, it will be in two weeks. I wish they were still on Bravo, 'cause I can't see Lifetime being okay with designing clothes for drag queens. Will a tie-in be designing clothes for the Army Wives? Or for one of the sad sack women on their ultra dramatic movies who finally get out of a retched marriage (or relationship, or dead-end job, or dead-end town, or all of the above) and make it (of course, with the help of an understanding, gorgeous man -- played by a young Bruce Boxleitner type.) Spare me the Lifetime movie. It's not my thing, obviously.

Whatever. I don't care. For the moment, my heart is light with the knowledge that Heidi, Tim, "American Designer Michael Kors", and Nina Garcia will be back. If they try to de-gay it, though, they will truly ruin it. Hands off, Lifetime!

Bueller? Bueller?

Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
The Breakfast Club.
Sixteen Candles. - Even though I am really pissed with the use and treatment of the character Long Duck Dong.
Weird Science.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
Mr. Mom.

Some of my favorite movies growing up were by John Hughes. Why are so many icons from my childhood dying? I refuse to face reality. I am not getting older. I will take over Dick Clark's title as the oldest living teenager.

Everything I Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten

The two female journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who were captured in North Korea and sentenced to 12 years of hard labor, were released yesterday. Former President Bill Clinton went to the country to negotiate with Kim Jong Il for their release. Go Bill! When I saw this picture of Clinton, Kim, and Kim's administration all arranged like a class photo, I realized something. I'm sure I'm over simplifying, but I think Kim, and dare I say, his country, really wants to be recognized and respected. I admit that I don't know anything about North Korea, their policies and recent history, but I think that these two women were unfortunately captured and so harshly sentenced mainly to prove a point.

I'm glad that Clinton went or was sent to discuss releasing the journalists. It was a good choice, Clinton being a well-loved, well-respected former U.S. President. Clinton has the right amount of power and prestige to assuage the wounded pride of a country that might not have felt that the U.S. was giving it it's just due. I'm just commenting without having read any articles, which I know is a dangerous thing. I don't know what, if anything, we promised them in return, but I do know that it wouldn't have been successful, no matter what, if say, Al Sharpton (or even just some lower level person who was actually part of the Obama administration) was sent over there to do the same job. It's funny, how we get older, maybe even run countries, but all of us still need reassurance that we are good enough. All of us just want the teacher to like us.

Now, I don't know why, but I haven't yet conjured up the same feelings of empathy and sorrow for the three hikers who were captured on the Iran/Iraq border. I have to wonder what the heck they were doing there. Aren't there enough beautiful places to hike that aren't between a war-torn country and a country we aren't on very good terms with? Was this just a case of American arrogance at its worst? At least two of them are based in the Middle East, so they know the area. Even if they got lost, I have to wonder why they were in that particular location in the first place - even those of us who aren't lucky enough to travel to other countries for work know that to be on the Iraq/Iran border as an American would be a dangerous proposition. At least, that is what would be going through my head. Of course, I suppose you could say the same thing about the two journalists who were just released. Whatever. If I ever had to travel to another country for work, I would have just one thing to say: "Just give me Paris."

Curiouser and Curiouser

Wow. For a librarian, I don't talk about books much here, do I? Well, I read a book that I thought was a sweet story with lovely illustrations, but I was amazed to find that it was actually based on a true story. The Curious Gardenby Peter Brown is about a little boy who lives in a gray, dreary city with no greenery whatsoever. Most people stay indoors, but the boy loves to be outside and as such, happens upon an elevated railway that nature has started to reclaim. When the little boy decides to help it along by caring for the "garden," it grows until it takes over the length of the railway and greenery begins to grow (hang, drape) over the side.

There really is a curious garden, though I don't know if anyone in particular began to cultivate it. It exists in Manhattan, which, contrary to my husband's belief, is actually not a gray, dreary (he would also say dirty) city with no greenery, but whatever -- it works for a picture book (gotta have well-defined contrasts pre-"problem" and post-"problem"). Anyway, I was just amazed to see it. Here's a 2003 picture of the High Line, which, according to Forgotten NY Subways and Trains (http://www.forgotten-ny.com/SUBWAYS/Tenth Ave trestle/Tenth.html), was an "attempt to alleviate the congestion on West Street by taking all rail and road [freight] traffic off of it."
(Forgotten-NY.com)

I wish the children's book had said something about the fact that at one point, the high line actually went though buildings. I'm not sure why, but it's cool.
(Again, from Forgotten-NY.com)

I guess at one point, the city of NY did not see the potential beauty in it and it was slated for demolition. I don't know who decided to spruce it up, but now, in 2009, it's well on its way to becoming a beautiful park and a real tourist attraction. (Well, I want to go visit it, anyway.) (from New York Times, June 6, 2009)

You Wanna Be Starting Somethin'?

So there's this new show called Bridezillas, and like many reality TV shows, it's basically documenting a bunch of train wrecks.

It pisses me off, though, because even though these women were probably high maintenance before, our society tells girls that their wedding day should be a fairy tale, the most perfect and beautiful day of their lives. Like with most things in this country, there's a whole industry making sure we never forget it, and making lots and lots of money in the bargain. Like with pregnancy and childbirth, which, I hear, is only just now becoming so idealized that people like me, who ended up having to have Cesareans, feel like failures after trying to do everything right. If you have been told forever that you must have this beautiful wedding day of your dreams, and you get stressed out during the course of planning it because, of course, nothing is perfect, then of course, there is something wrong with YOU, and not with the culture that has basically made you crazed telling you that you needed to achieve perfection in the first place. I have a problem with that.

Of course, these women on the show are particularly out of control, but I had a "friend" call me a bridezilla before my wedding, and honestly, in hindsight, the only thing that stuck out for me in my treatment of her was that I didn't cater to her as I had throughout our friendship. So for once, it wasn't all about her and her constant and ongoing drama, which continues to this day, and is another long, boring story.

So Whatcha Sayin'?

A co-worker of mine took this picture in Illinois, and I just had to post it. I was wondering if maybe they were trying to imply something with the sign for the cemetery and for the library pointing in the same direction, but my boss said that's probably just where all the weeded books are buried.

I so want to do this and put it on my girl's wall. But until I can, here you go.

I found out about it at work today. One of my co-workers popped out of her cubicle and said "Michael Jackson died." All of us turned to look at her with shock and disbelief. I jumped online, and there it was.

I came home, turned on MTV and danced with my little girl to Michael Jackson songs for a half hour. I didn't want to watch all the news reports and the play by play as they took his body away. I just wanted to dance and remember. Yes, there were definitely times when we wondered just what you were thinking, Michael, but we always, always loved you.

"We're sending out a major love, and this is our message to you. The planets are lining up, we're bringing brighter days. They're all in line, waiting for you. You're just another part of me."

Peace.

Boy. We might need to start calling June the cruelest month. David Carradine died earlier this month, then Ed MacMahon, now Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson on the same day.

I was probably 6 or 7 when Charlie's Angels first came on the air. I even had the dolls. I always wanted to "be" Kelly when playing, 'cause everyone else always wanted to be Jill (Farrah Fawcett's character). Plus, I'm about the furthest thing from blonde you can find.

It's amazing to hear that she was 62. That's the age my mother would have been if she hadn't died of cancer at the age of 48. God Bless. I guess we just think that those people that we grew up idolizing aren't ever supposed to get sick or old or die. It makes me feel old. It makes me feel very, very sad.

Happy Father's Day

To my husband on his first Father's Day. The best daddy for my little girl, no doubt.

Yes. This is early. Better early than late. I'm still a relatively new mommy, and I need my sleep.

Your Tax Dollars At Work...

I saw this a couple of months ago at my husband's old high school. Doesn't give you a lot of hope for the school system when the administration either can't spell correctly themselves, doesn't catch the error before the sign goes up, or doesn't care to fix the spelling on a sign that goes in front of a place of learning. It's the name of the city! I mean, come on!

In Good News...

President Obama has nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor, a federal judge from New York, to the Supreme Court. If confirmed by the Senate, she will fill David Souter's spot on the court and will be the first Latino Justice on the Supreme Court. Boriqua!

Here's a profile on Judge Sotomayor: BBC News. Profile: Sonia Sotomayor and here's hoping that this decision will go smoothly.

Bad News...

Just heard. CA Supreme Court will uphold gay marriage ban, but will allow the marriages of the 18,000 same-sex couples who wed before the ban took effect to stand. I wish the court would get a backbone - especially the justice who wrote the decision to allow gay marriage. He doesn't have to worry about being voted out of office, so why the switch in opinion now? Especially when the vote to ban same-sex marriage failed by a very close 52-48, and the Proposition was so confusing that I had to keep reminding myself that to vote "no" on Prop. 8 was to uphold same-sex marriage as opposed to getting rid of it. I have to believe that other people in favor of gay rights might have made that mistake and not realized it until it was too late.

I am very disappointed and ashamed of California. My home state has legalized gay marriage, but CA, which is supposed to be so progressive, and had a chance to prove it - failed.

States that allow gay marriage:
Connecticut
Vermont
Massachusetts
Iowa
Maine

Marriage Equality

In about an hour, a decision will be made regarding Prop. 8. I am praying for the original California Supreme Court decision to be upheld. Someone on KRON 4 pointed out that for the court to rule in favor on the measure tat passed last November (against gay marriage) would set a dangerous precedent wherein any voting majority could do away with the rights of any minority. Didn't we (sort of) learn that lesson before?

The court also can't half-step. They can't say that there should be no gay marriage and still uphold the same-sex marriages that have happened. And, if that were to happen, it would be devastating. I can't imagine someone telling me that me marriage is no longer valid. Think of it this way. What if there were no 13th amendment, and I, as a Black woman born in the North, would no longer be considered free under the Emancipation Proclamation? How can we give people rights (rights that they should have had in the first place) and then take them away?

Yes, marriage is sacred. Yes, it should not be entered into lightly. And, yes, it should be between any two PEOPLE, regardless of gender, who love each other and intend to care for each other be together for life.

I love it when Google customizes their homepage. Today it's for Mary Cassatt's birthday. I'd love to see what they would do for Frida Kahlo's birthday.

Style Watch

I have to say, this is the best I've seen Angelina Jolie look in a long while. I'm so glad someone talked her out of the dark bag-like dresses she's been wearing.

Let the Wild Rumpus Begin!

Take a break for one of my favorite picture books read by one of my favorite presidents.



I know some of those passages by heart!

The Right to Read

A co-worker sent a link to this very thoughtful and excellent letter from a librarian concerning one parent's challenge to a children's book in which a little girl is jealous of her favorite uncle's new (male) fiancé.

Uncle Bobby's Wedding: The Response. Myliblog, July 24, 2008.

I think at the very least, when I get back to work, I am going to suggest we have the Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read, and Free Access to Libraries for Minors information available for challenges that may come up. Luckily, we rarely have challenges, but we have had some, and it's never good to delude yourself into thinking that we will never have any challenges in the future. Our challenges tend not to be on books about gay marriage, but on things like violence (perceived or described) in particular books.

Mommified

I was told last week that I had a mom haircut. That couldn't be good.

X's and O's

So cute.



You're my Honeybunch, Sugarplum
Pumpy-umpy-umpkin,
You're my Sweetie Pie
You're my Cuppycake, Gumdrop
Snoogums-Boogums, You're
the Apple of my Eye
And I love you so and I want you to know
That I'll always be right here
And I love to sing sweet songs to you
Because you are so dear.

This song was originally sung by Amy Castle in 1994 (that video is on You Tube as well.) It's just easier to hear in this version, also sung by Amy Castle.

Miss U.S.A.

So, Miss North Carolina (Kristen Dalton) won Miss U.S.A., and rightfully so. Her answer to the final question in the pageant didn't sound idiotic. In fact, I liked that she said that bailout money should instead be spent on education, health care and welfare.

Miss California (Carrie Prejean) and Miss Arizona (Alicia Blanco), however, seem to be in a race to see which one has the stupidest answer. Are these questions supposed to show how intelligent and aware of current events these women are?

Miss Arizona's question: Do you think the U.S. should have Universal Health Care as a right of citizenship?
Her Answer: "I think this is an issue of integrity, regardless of which end of the political spectrum that I stand on. I've been raised in a family to know right from wrong and politics whether you fall in the middle, the left or the right, it's an issue of integrity, whatever your opinion is and I say that with the utmost conviction."

Did anyone else notice that she didn't answer the question? Is she running for office?

Miss California's question: Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit?
Her Answer: "I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage," "And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."

Not helping the image of my adopted state, here, Carrie. I'm not even going to comment on the meat of her answer, because you know I don't agree -- however, she has the right to her opinion. (Wonder if she was one of the people who voted for Prop. 8 last November.) Americans are able to live in a land where you can choose same-sex or "opposite marriage", but in HER country, she thinks that you shouldn't be able to choose. Where is she from? Isn't California in the United States? Actually, she would have been better off using Miss Arizona's answer.

My husband and I have gotten a kick out of saying we have an "opposite marriage." It's so us.

I meant to comment a while ago on the fact that Iowa, of all places, has a more enlightened gay marriage policy than so-called liberal California. Wonders never cease.

And I am loving that my home state, Connecticut, the same Connecticut that people wanted to talk smack about when I first moved here, also allows same-sex marriage. Chew on that, smug Californians.

Let Them Play!

In a review of The Rights of the Reader by Daniel Pennac. Roger Sutton of the Horn Book quotes Pennac as saying, among other things "Worried that a lack of scheduled activities will lead your kid to boredom? But being bored is great."

(Click here for the review.)

I so agree. Being bored is actually a gift -- if your time isn't always filled with someone else entertaining you or constantly being drilled with new facts, then you can use that "boring" time to put your imagination to work, something I think we all need more time to do, young and old.

I am against scheduling your child within an inch of his life. I am all for lazy summer days spent running around in backyards, climbing trees and riding bikes. Throwing tennis balls against the wall and trying to figure out how to play jump rope when you only have two people. Cutting "paper dolls" out of catalogs and creating Barbie houses with odds and ends from around the house (I always liked setting up the house so much more than actually playing with the dolls).

Scheduled activities might seem to give your child a more impressive "resume", but I think some really great learning still happens organically. Kids are curious about their world. They are little scientists. That is, when they aren't being sucked in by video games and (oops, I'm guilty of this myself), television. Those are things, sorry to say, that are actually thinking for you, and all too often, not letting you think for yourself.

I also know that scheduled activities seem so much safer -- I can't imagine letting my little girl run around and explore the outdoors unsupervised as much as I did. And honestly, the fact that I'm too scared to let her do that makes me sad. I know that she'll be missing out. I may have been bored at the outset, but I'm glad for having ridden my bike down my street as fast as I could, even though I ended up falling over the handlebars of my bike, making snow angels and exploring the quiet after a snowstorm, including knocking down icicles (dangerous! You'll knock your eye out, kid!) or eating snow (dirty!) or putting on musicals for the neighbors and my family, even if we looked a little silly, laying out on the front lawn finding dragons in clouds, or trying to make mudpies because I read about it in a book. But if I hadn't, I wouldn't have these stories to tell, now would I?

More on the benefits of play and letting kids be. "Are You Turning Your Child Into A Wimp?"Time.com, June 23, 2008

Spring is Here!

And Google has commemorated it using Eric Carle artwork from The Hungry Little Caterpillar. First Dr. Seuss artwork and now Eric Carle -- this Children's Librarian is thrilled! Now if they could just use a little LeUyen Pham, Kadir Nelson and Elisa Kleven (who is, incidentally, one of the nicest people around), I would really lose it! I'm such a sucker for children's book illustrators -- always have been!

Who is LeUyen Pham?

Who is Kadir Nelson?

Who is Elisa Kleven?

Question.

What is the purpose of baby pockets?

My little girl has a lot of pockets for someone who is just learning how to use her hands (and who mostly has them in her mouth). Do clothing manufacturers put pockets on baby pants and jackets just in case a baby has something they might want to stick in there? They're very cute, don't get me wrong, and usually, I would be all for real pockets -- I get angry when clothes have those fake you out pockets. I need pockets; don't tease me like that. But for a baby? I'm just sayin'.

Am I supposed to stick her pacifier in her pocket? Baby pens in the chest pocket of her hoodie? 50 cents in case she needs to call home (if she can find a phone booth -- can anyone nowadays?). Just because I was curious, I tried to get my baby to put her hand in one of her front pockets. No luck. I guess my question will remain unanswered.

Do I have way too much time on my hands? Do ya think?

How the Other Half Lives

I think I'm living in the wrong reality.

Something made me pick up San Francisco Magazine at the library recently. A demented desire to look at things I could never afford, I guess. Or maybe it was the headline, "A Secret Shopping Avenue (with 75 cent parking)".

Inside I saw this chair: It's the Lafayette Chair designed by Gary Hutton, which actually means nothing to me. I just thought it was a cool and different looking chair, until I saw how much it costs. It STARTS at $12,675. Then I thought, "Oh, that's an ugly chair."

You know how when you were in middle and high school and the guy you liked preferred someone else? You might have silently obsessed over him (more my style), or you might have turned all sour grapes and been like, "Oh, he wasn't cute anyway." Sour grapes, anyone?

But I couldn't play that game with the ad I saw for the new private first class cabins on some of Emirates Airlines flights. I was blown away. Sigh.

Click on the picture to see it up close. You have to see this! This is on a plane! Forget sitting with your knees to your chin in coach. Of course, coach is where I will be on my next flight, but a girl can dream, can't she?

In other news: A short review in the same magazine of the book Vintage Paris Couture used the term "recessionista", I guess, to describe those of us who love fashion but who aren't super rich enough to afford the crazy prices, especially in this economy. Or maybe just for those of us who love fashion, but who aren't crazy. Some of the places in the book are apparently "under the radar" -- in other words, flea markets, resale shops, and as the review says "charity shops" (you mean like The Sal?). Sing it with me in a Dolly Parton twang: "I was a recessionista, when frugal wasn't cool." I was a recessionista before the recession. That makes me oh, so ahead of my time. And what proves it?! In this same magazine of treasures (I'm realizing just how cool I really am!), some guy talks about his addiction to chicharrones -- translation: pork rinds. Go on, affirm my 7 year old self. People would turn their nose up at me for eating them, but he throws some lime and hot sauce on them (an idea he probably got from the Chicanos in the Mission where he "discovered" the pork rinds) and suddenly they are chic and worthy of a mention in SF Mag.

BTW, they also had an photo spread on the return of pantsuits (or should I say, jumpsuits?). May I say, for the record, that, no sour grapes, these are hideous.

Yves Saint Laurent / Warhol

Last Saturday I went to the De Young Museum with a couple of friends to see the Yves Saint Laurent exhibit. I was really enjoying it until I noticed the video of a runway show. It must have been kind of a retrospective fashion show of all his works, because the video showed outfits that were in the De Young's exhibit from several different years -- so I know not to blame Saint Laurent, as this probably happened either after his death in 2008 or after his last runway show (2002).

What I saw that bothered me was a bunch of Black models in his African inspired dresses -- now, this in and of itself did not bother me, in fact, I was momentarily happy to see so many Black faces on the runway at once, given that attention was given to the dearth of Black models on the catwalk last year. I didn't even bother me that they were wearing the African inspired dresses (I don't know what I would have thought had a White model come out wearing them). What did bother me was the "exoticization" (I know that's not a real word) of the models -- they were wearing very large "African" style headdresses, and to top it all off, a White model preceded them on the runway, wearing an outfit that could best be described as something you would wear on safari. That made me cringe - were these Black women to be hunted? Was that the implication? Why have the White woman in the safari outfit precede the Black women in the African inspired pieces at all? Why even go there?

For a second I thought that the video could have been from another time period, because the dresses themselves were from YSL's 1967 collection, but the models' hair and makeup looked altogether too modern for that to be the case. Then I started thinking about the rest of the video -- the use of Black models in other outfits was few and far between -- I only remember a Black model in a toreador outfit and Naomi Campbell in a green, fuzzy coat, black nylons, heels and nothing else. As my friend said, the way the African collection was presented in the runway show was "disturbing on so many levels." It's too bad, because several of YSL's pieces were the mixture of elegant and dramatic that I love.


On the other hand, the Andy Warhol exhibit was a feast for the senses - with music from Judy Garland flooding the darkened exhibit where Warhol's 60's era silver screen/screen prints were hung, the Velvet Underground being played in a groovy room with psychedelic lights, guitars encased in glass, and pillows on a seating area, and disco being played in a section dedicated to Warhol's Silver Factory and Studio 54. There were also clips from movies Warhol filmed, his famous screen tests, record covers that he designed (very cool -- I think the art of the record cover is largely uncelebrated and unrecognized), videos of the Rolling Stones in concert, clips from Warhol's MTV show 15 Minutes, quotes from Warhol ("If I ever have to cast an acting role, I want the wrong person for the part. [...] if you can't get someone who's perfectly right, it's more satisfying to get someone who's perfectly wrong. Then you know, you've really got something."), and of course, lots and lots of paintings, illustrations and photographs. I'm not saying I wouldn't go to the YSL exhibit, just that I felt like I connected more with the Warhol exhibit.

Laughing Baby

I must have really needed a laugh today, 'cause this kid had me rolling.