Playing Library Detective

Sometimes, a game I like to play with myself or a nearby coworker is, "What Do Patrons Do To Library Materials to Make Them Look Like This?"

The rules are: Pick up a book/DVD/CD/talking book/magazine...whatever. Examine this material and notice scratches/tears/smells/breaks...whatever. Wonder aloud what the patron(s) could have done to make the library material look like this. Extra points for being as creative as possible.

Ex: "What do patrons do to library materials to make them look like this? Were they playing frisbee with this magazine? Playing with sandpaper and this DVD at the same time? Letting their teething child hold the CD for a while?"

You just have to wonder, that's all I'm saying.

If I was an inventor, I'd invent some heavy-duty cases for DVDs and CDs. This wouldn't eliminate the scratching once people got their hands on them, but maybe it would help with the cases that aren't built to last. I've broken CD cases in my own collection - all you have to do is look at them funny and they shatter.

It's a problem at the library because so many people have their hands all over everything. I heard a patron complaining the other day that they could always tell when a smoker had the book out previously. And one patron tried to slip a book in the book drop that she had dropped in the bathtub. Oh, the stories I've heard.

Needless to say, we use a lot of hand sanitizer over at the library.

Who's in the Mood for A Mild Disaster?

I am not a very spontaneous person.

This is why I'm not really sure why I love disasters.

Let me define disasters. In this case, disasters are things that go wrong in a not-too-big way. No one gets hurt. Three examples of my kind of disaster are: 1) the electricity goes out 2) we get a ton of snow and things get canceled 3) the computers go down in the library.

Now, I realize that all three things are inconvenient. But I find them exhilarating.

To me, it's such an adventure for all the lights to go out. And though I don't think I've ever been stuck somewhere because of snow, I have been stuck somewhere (Wendy's) because of flooding. And on occasion the computers have gone down at the library and we have had to write down people's checkouts like "the olden days."

Why do these things make me so happy? Maybe it's the possibilities. Or the fact that crazy things are happening out of my control and all that's left to do is enjoy it. I love the feeling of not knowing what's going to happen and just "living in the moment" for a while. Like I said, as long as there's nothing dangerous going on.

Am I alone in this? Does anyone else love stumbling around in the dark?

Maybe it's just me. Me and the spontaneous person inside of me fighting to get out.

The Lights Are Turned Way Down Low...

The last couple days we've had big, puffy snowflakes falling from the sky, causing me to stare dreamily out nearby windows. There are few occurences more distracting than a soft snowfall.

My mind runs through the possibilities.

Snow. Packing snow or light snow? Snowman. Snow delays. Maybe everything will be canceled today and I'll have to stay trapped at home! Maybe the electricity will go out! Maybe the snow will pile up to the roof and I'll be able to climb up on the roof!

...Or maybe I'll just have to scrape off the car.

Snow falls makes me think of canceled classes, of spontaneous snowball fights, of my dog coming in from the outside with a little pile of snow on top of his nose.

Not too many things make me feel like I'm five years old again (in a good way). Snow does! I'm not much of a romper, but romping through the snow suddenly sounds very appealing. Usually, being cold - with a red face and a sniffly nose - isn't one of my favorite things. But when I'm in the snow - bring it on.

But the best part of a snowfall for me is that time in the morning before the roads are cleared. When cars are still buried, when the sounds of traffic are silenced. When everyone else is tucked inside enjoying a snow day, or peering out the foggy windows to see how deep the drifts are. When it's just me venturing outside to stand on top of the new snow - no dirt or salt or footprints on it yet. And all around me, there's just a strangely comforting quiet. You can almost hear the snowflakes fall.

Two Minutes of Dental Hygiene

I got a "Sonicare" toothbrush for Christmas. It's this big honkin' high-tech looking toothbrush that comes with a charger and handy travel case.

The first time I used it, I turned it on outside of my mouth. The toothpaste flipped onto the floor.

There's a timer on this thing that goes off after two minutes. Brushing for two minutes using this toothbrush made me realize that I have probably never brushed my teeth for two minutes in my entire life.

Two minutes may not seem very long, but when there's a reverberating toothbrush in your mouth, two minutes seems more like thirty-two minutes of wet, toothpastey boringness.

La la la la la...maybe I should pace back through the hallway again. Hm. Has this picture always looked so crooked? There. That's better... Why isn't this thing turning off yet?

Time stands still for those two minutes. It's just me, this heavy toothbrush, and drool running down my chin.

Don't Go Changing

I am not in favor of change. Um, are we voting? I vote no on the change. Please, won't things just stay the way they are?

Have you ever gone to a website you visit regularly only to find that the layout is completely different? This happened to me twice the other day - two different sites. I got all disoriented and couldn't find anything.

Every time Facebook changes, I hate it. I haven't switched my profile over to the "new" profile yet because I like things to be the same. Sure, I'll adapt eventually. But I don't want to.

I don't want to relearn something or go through new experiences or be uncomfortable in new situations. I have a rut and enjoy being stuck in it.

Obviously, change happens. I don't have to like it, but I can be willing to give it a chance and work on being more flexible.

Or I can remain in denial.

Hmm...

I Have High Expectations, 2011.

And now, in no particular order, some New Year's resolutions I've been thinking about.

1. Don't kill Neville. That's what I've decided to call my plant. I've already had to pick off a couple dead leaves, but I'm hoping that's normal. I keep sticking my finger into the dirt to make sure he's not dry. I hope he doesn't find that too intrusive.

2. Read through the whole Bible in a year. I haven't done this since high school, so I thought it was time to give it another go. I really appreciated Jon Acuff's post on his blog "Stuff Christians Like" about already being behind. Since I am.

3. Drink more water. I just always forget! Unless I'm eating or exercising. I just don't think to drink unless I'm really thirsty. And apparently, if you feel thirsty, you're already dehydrated. Or maybe that's just an old wives tale? Whatever. I know this goal isn't really concrete, but there's no way I'm committing to drinking 8 glasses a day or something like that. I just want to work on remembering to drink more.

4. Run ten miles. Right now? This seems impossible. The most I've ever run at once is five miles. But I figure that I need something to work towards so I can stay motivated. This would be a pretty sweet accomplishment.

5. Eat more chocolate. Now, here's a resolution I can sink my teeth into. This is guaranteed to happen! A year from now, I will have kept at least one of these resolutions.

Althought, hopefully I will have also read through the whole Bible, run ten miles, be fully hydrated, and still have Neville and not just a pile of dust in a pot.

Zoom Zoom.

I'm a fast walker.

Even if I have no idea where I'm going, I'll get there fast. Purposeful strides. These long legs are good for something.

Zoooooooom...oops, sorry about that. I just blew past you, slowpoke. See you at the finish line.

It's not like I'm in a terrific hurry. I'm just...brisk.

Walking slowly is so agonizing. Just shuffling along with no enthusiasm. I walk slowly if I'm tired or not feeling well. Or if the person I'm walking with is slow.

Maybe I need to stop and smell the roses - I don't know. For now, I'm happy when I'm booking it down the sidewalk with a spring in my step and a song in my heart. Not to be cliche, or anything.