Txt-based Blogging

An Object Lesson at the Pool Table

2010-08-31T22:22:00.000-05:00

On the second floor of our apartment complex clubhouse is a pool table. BB and I have gone there about half a dozen times to shoot around. He's just learning, of course, and I'm rusty as hell, but we have fun. It's a nice thing that just he and I have.

Tonight we headed over, and there were people already playing, a first for us. As we walked in, one player (I think the others called him "Frank") was finishing up the table at the end of a game. You know how they tell you never to bet against a guy who brings his own cue? Frank had two; one for breaking, one for shooting. In a tooled leather case.

I asked if BB and I could have the next game. Frank, who was probably about mid-fifties, with a squint and a golf cap, gave us a little bit of a hard time, but said sure, we could jump in. I assured him we wouldn't be long.

Frank's opponents were essentially frat boys. Early twenties, in shorts and big shoes. One guy had his sleeveless shirt slit down to the hem on both sides. They ignored BB and I as we set up the rack and made our shots, but still, the kid was nervous with this many people around. Heck, so was I. Frank was clearly very good, and I was embarassed at my poor performance. As the game progressed, though, he started giving BB pointers. "Make your front hand steady. Don't be loose." "Too much stick between you and the ball." He was gentle with his suggestions, not putting him down or making him feel foolish. By the end of the game, BB was shooting better, and was more relaxed. The frat boys mostly ignored us.

The last few shots seemed to take forever. On my final ball, I sank the 11 and then rebounded and put the 8 in. A loss. Frank got quite a laugh out of that. I thanked him for his time and advice, and so did BB

We decided to stick around and watch them play for awhile.

Frank was playing cutthroat with two frat boys at a time. The first game, the boys never touched the table. Frank sank a ball on the break, then proceeded to drop the other guys' balls one after another. Break, nine shots, game over. Every shot was precise, and he knew where the ball would be before he lined up the next one. He had a rhythm and a smooth control that was a joy to watch. BB was in awe.

The frat boys were grumbling. "We never get to take a shot. Give us a chance." Frank laughed. He laughed a lot, in fact. Just about every sentence he said all evening ended with a chuckle.

On the second game, he flubbed the break, so the frat boys got to try. One had almost no skill, the other had some control, but neither could match Frank. It wasn't long before he was back on the stick and running things again, but it was tougher with a spread table, so this game lasted a little longer.

The frat boys kept commenting. "It's not fair!" said one, as if he were three years old. They made offhand comments about how "lucky" Frank was. How Frank was "cheating". Frank kept laughing, kept bantering lightly back, and kept sinking their balls. Click. Click. Click.

We left after that game, and on the walk home I got to talk to BB about what he observed. He's not played much sport, and his soccer team's discussions on sportsmanship were pretty much limited to making sure they said "Good Game" to the other guys at the end of the match. This was a perfect opportunity to talk about losing graciously and admitting defeat.

Those boys were playing a master. They could have been asking him how he did what he did, taking pointers and learning from him. He was willing to show BB how he did it. I'm sure he would have done the same for them. Instead, they took the opportunity and made it an ugly thing. What a shame.

National Library Week Song

2010-04-15T16:44:00.000-05:00

I had hoped to actually make a video of this, but there's no way it will be done by the end of the week, so I'm posting the lyrics for now.

With apologies to Tom Lehrer (and Neil Gaiman, Danielle Steel, and Hemingway, for that matter):

Oh, the e-books hate the print books

And the "snooty" books hate the "trashy" books
To insist your books are the best books
Is an old established rule

But during National Library Week
National Library Week
Danielle Steel and Hemingway
Are dancing cheek to cheek
Fiction or Biography
Makes no difference to me
I'll check your book out to you with a smile.

Oh, the poor folks and the rich folks
And those crazy middle-class folks
Are all equal at the library
It's American as apple pie!

And during National Library Week
National Library Week
It's National Everyone-Lend-a-Book-to-
One-Another-y Week
Neil Gaiman tells us all
To come and have a ball
At the library in your college, town, or school.

Oh, there's research, and there's job help
There are movies, and music CDs
All free to use at your library
Let me tell y'all the news

This week is National Library Week
National Library Week
Academics love the publics
'Cause it's very chic
Think of librarians who
Have been helpful to you.
It's only for a week, so if you please
Remember to support your libraries!

Gender and YA Book Covers

2010-03-24T13:17:00.000-05:00

Some time ago, I watched a documentary called The Codes of Gender about the portrayal of women in advertising and popular culture. I know, of course, that women are objectified all the time in commercial imagery, but it was interesting to see some of the underlying tropes that are more subtle. The film is based on the work of sociologist Erving Goffman from the late '70s.

Many examples of this phenomenon can be found. There's an excellent collection at GenderAds.com. Essentially, women are, more often than men, shown:

in positions that are off-balance or precarious.
gazing distractedly away from the viewer.
passively receiving action, rather than taking an active role.
lying down.
in jeopardy or threatened in some way.

This all serves to reinforce the idea that women are weak and subservient, and must be protected by men. In fact, that endangered is the same as sexy.

Once I saw the documentary, I couldn't stop seeing these images: on billboards, magazine covers, and countless other places. What really disturbed me, though, was that I started seeing them on book covers in the YA fiction section of the library.

Here are some examples. I didn't seek these out, by the way. These are just covers that I noticed in the course of my regular work over a period of several weeks.

Here we see a woman (presumably Audrey) shown with her head thrown back and to the side and her body twisted uncomfortably. This also demonstrates another trend in commercial imagery, showing women lost in emotion. Often this is hysterical laughter. Again, it presents women as out of control and unprepared.

Notice how the male figure presses down on the female, placing her in a helpless position. Her back is bent almost painfully. If this were a photograph rather than a painting, she would need to be supported to keep from falling over.

Here the woman's legs are unnaturally splayed, and she's seated precariously on a tilted skateboard. Another common trope demonstrated here is the headless body. Quite often women are represented only as bodies or body parts, divorced from personhood and easier to objectify. One way to test our reactions to these images is to imagine a man in the same position. What would your reactions be?

All we see are the backs of this woman's legs and the serpent. She is apparently naked and completely at the mercy of the elements.

This cover shows multiple tropes. The woman is clearly endangered, distracted, and off-balance, and the background image is of a disembodied bare shoulder.

A queen should be capable, active, competent, and in control. The woman on this cover appears to have none of those qualities. She looks at the viewer, but her eyes are unfocused. Again, her body is twisted and tilted, her head in an unnatural position. She looks as if she could fall over at the slightest provocation.

It can be helpful to see images of males to note the contrast. Here, the man is aggressively active. His naked torso is muscled and strong. His gaze is directed off-camera, but is purposeful. Here is a person who can handle himself in any situation. Whereas the woman on the cover of Poison Ink is running away, he is clearly running toward.

These are just a few examples. I found many more. Granted, there are covers like Behind The Mountains that do a much better job at portraying women than those above, but I had to search for quite a while to find one. I think it's worth asking publishers what they are selling, here. What is the role of young women that they are promoting?

Take a look at your library shelves. What do you find?

Restaurant Review: Brewburger

2010-02-13T15:21:00.002-06:00

Last night I took my family to Brewburger for the first time. We go to church right around the corner, so we knew about it, but hadn't been yet. We had a marvelous experience.

The party was my wife and I, our three kids, and my in-laws visiting from out of town. My middle son has celiac disease, so it was important that there be no wheat in his meal. The server was a little harried, as we were part of a dinner rush, but she was friendly and prompt. Our food was served on time. Orders were correct. While fries were cooking for my father-in-law, she brought him some extra sweet potato fries to tide him over. She also brought out an extra basket of fries for the kids to share.

The food itself was excellent. Portions were just right, and the options were diverse without being overwhelming. I had a Brewburger, but my mother-in-law had a fishburger, and I definitely want to come back and give it a try! Sides were great as well.

I want to especially compliment the owners on the atmosphere. It seems that every restaurant now has a TV for every four or five tables. It was refreshing to go out and not have that distraction. Please, don't put any in! I also appreciated the coloring books, cards, and other things available to keep the kids occupied. I loved the art on the walls, particularly Lydia's drawings. She and I seem to have a similar aesthetic. :-)

The only thing that surprised me was that there were no local beers available. I would have liked to have a Choc or a Marshall with my burger. I understand that Oklahoma's ridiculous liquor laws can make this difficult, but if your brand is being one of the "small fries", you should make as much effort to support other local businesses as much as you can.

Interestingly, the Brewburger website lists Choc as one of their draught beers. Wonder why there wasn't any on tap last night?

Musical Musing

2010-01-21T00:12:00.001-06:00

I've never been very confident when talking about music. I always seem to be out of step with what everyone else thinks is good, worthwhile, or important. As an example, one of the local radio stations has recently changed to a "Generation X" format, which is all music I heard on the radio in college. A lot of it I love, but I feel like somehow it's not supposed to be "my" music. My music should be the stuff that was popular when I was in high school, the heyday of MTV. But I hated almost everything that was on MTV and contemporary radio at that time. I was listening to Kansas and Bad Company and Pink Floyd for the first time, even though their music was, by then, already "classic rock".

So I tend not to talk about what I like, other than quoting random earworms on Twitter and facebook statuses. Recently, though, I've had some angst-filled moments surrounding music and musicians, and I thought I'd share them.

I'm a huge fan of the Pandora music service. It's a great alternative to trying to load up my BlackBerry (my only MP3 player) with all the things I think I might like, or putting a bunch of CDs in the car. One of the things I decided as I've been exploring new music on Pandora was that I had to figure out why people seem to be so enthralled with The White Stripes.

In a recent documentary film, Jack White shares equal billing with The Edge from U2 and Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin. Obviously, somebody thinks he's important. But everything I've heard from him just felt like noise (I know, stereotypical old guy reaction) or something trying to be interesting and failing. So I plugged in a title that Rolling Stone seemed to think was significant, "Seven Nation Army" as the seed to a new Pandora station. Some of the songs by other artists sounded good to me, but there was only one White song I liked, "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)", and that was really about the lyrics and the sentiment behind them more than the music. If anything, I felt like what I wanted the song to be had to fight its way out from behind his singing and playing.

"So what," right? I don't like The White Stripes. Big deal. But here's the thing. I WANT to like them. I feel like, somehow, I SHOULD like them. And I dislike them, not because they don't play music I like, but because I'm missing something fundamental. I'm not getting it. Not liking The White Stripes isn't a personal choice. It's a failure.

In a similar way, I've been avoiding listening to the music of Amanda Palmer and her duo The Dresden Dolls. For those who haven't heard, Ms. Palmer has been dating the author Neil Gaiman, and they've recently become engaged. I know that Neil and Amanda collaborated on a book based on her solo album Who Killed Amanda Palmer, and presumably, he likes her music.

The trouble is, Neil is also close friends with the musician Stephin Merritt, and I feel the same way about his band The Magnetic Fields as I do about The White Stripes. I just don't like their music. I want to, very badly, because it seems like I should. It has many of the same elements that I like in other kinds of music, like They Might Be Giants, but no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to stomach it.

Somehow, all of this gets bundled up together. I like Neil Gaiman's work. In fact, I ADORE it. Sandman, American Gods, Neverwhere, Good Omens, Don't Panic... Everything he's written fits perfectly with my tastes. Because of this, my dislike of The Magnetic Fields feels like a failing or a betrayal. Again, I'm missing something. I'm too stupid or I have no taste or I have some other fundamental flaw that makes me unworthy.

So I didn't want to listen to The Dresden Dolls, because I was afraid it would be The Magnetic Fields all over again. I finally did it, though. I seeded a new Pandora station with the band's name and gave it a shot. So far, I've liked one of Amanda's solo songs, but the station is rapidly steering away from her and the Dolls toward artists I really like. Regina Spektor, in particular, who I would just about follow to the ends of the Earth.

So in the end, I'm not sure how I feel about all this. Intellectually, I know this is ridiculous. Neil doesn't know me. Even if he happens to be steered to this blog entry by Twitter and reads it, I'm sure he would just shrug his shoulders. Different people have different tastes, after all. Nobody is universally adored.

But still, deep down, I feel like I've failed as a person because I didn't click the thumbs up on a single Dresden Dolls song.

Does this kind of thing happen to anybody else?

So I say to myself, how did I get here?

2010-01-15T22:44:00.002-06:00

I recently heard of a project called Library Routes that's asking librarians to document how they became librarians: what led them to the profession, what path they've taken, et cetera. I realized that this is a story I haven't shared here, so I thought I'd post it.

The story begins with my library heroes. When I teach the ODL "How to Think Like a Librarian" class, the icebreaker exercise includes this question. I have two. The first is my mom. She was an elementary school librarian for more than 20 years, working in public and private schools, doing storytimes, felt boards, puppet plays, bibliographic instruction... the whole package. My first experiences in libraries were summer days spent helping her. I shelf-read, processed withdrawals, sorted cards (yes, actual cards) and even inventoried A/V equipment. All for the princely sum of a can of Coke with my lunch that day. My mother was dedicated to her student patrons. She would tell me stories about their lives and how it felt to see them light up when she found the book they wanted.

My second library hero was Michael Printz. If you know his name, it's probably because of the ALA award, but I knew Mike personally. He was the librarian at my high school. He was the one who taught all of the freshman English classes how to do basic reference. It was Mike who put the Oxford English Dictionary in my hands for the first time. He was a close friend of the author Gary Paulsen, and he loaned me an ARC of Hatchet so that I could read it before it was published. He was an extraordinary librarian, with great passion and compassion for his students. Later, I learned that his heroism had another level. As an out gay man working in a Kansas high school, he endured criticism and abuse that I can't imagine. But he never let anything distract him from the real goal, connecting young people with great books.

Because of these two, I am that rare librarian who never wanted to be anything else. If you had asked me in second grade what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have said without hesitation, "a librarian." At the time, that really meant that I wanted to work at a job where I got to read as much as I wanted. But by the time I encountered Mike, I understood that being a librarian meant helping people, answering questions, and knowing a little bit about a lot of things. These were all things that I wanted very much to do, so my path was set. When I took the ASVAB test, it told me I should be a cartographer or an archivist. Based on that, I arranged for an independent study: a 9-week internship with the head archivist of the Kansas State Historical Society. I saw amazing things in their collection, including ledgers from the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroad, private Super 8 film footage spanning decades of life in Lawrence, bound newspaper volumes that predated statehood, and much more. Mike's passion for oral history had led him to put in a video editing lab at the library, so my final project was a video of all the things I'd seen and done there. I still have it in my own archive.

When it came time to choose a college, it seemed logical to me to major in English. I was going to need a Masters to be a librarian, so I should just take the path of least resistance and get a Bachelor's that wouldn't be difficult for me. That led to the big detour in my library route. My advisor suggested that I get a teaching certification so I had "something to fall back on" while I was waiting to go to graduate school. This was not good advice. Believe me when I tell you that the worst possible teacher is the one who doesn't want to be there.

For three years after college, in Tribune, KS and then in Polo, MO, I taught high school and middle school English. By then I'd had more than enough. Looking back, I learned valuable things about myself and about teaching that have served me well, but I still can't help but wonder what might have happened if I'd gone a different direction.

I gained my MLIS at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota. When Kim and I were looking at library schools, we realized that we were newlyweds and we could go anywhere we wanted. Returning to my northern roots (Mom grew up in Fargo, Dad in East Grand Forks, and my grandmother still lived in Chaska) seemed like a great idea to me. Of course, two years in, we had our first child and realized we were ten hours from the nearest grandparent! My library school track led me toward teen services, based on my love of YA lit (Mike again) and my teaching experience. It was then that I discovered something really scary. Most of my classmates were already working in libraries. They were associates, circ clerks and others who already had library jobs. I didn't get my first paycheck from a library until after I graduated. I worked one shift as a sub for reference in the Dakota County Libraries, where my colleagues learned that I'd been working as a secretary for three years. The secretary in the Director's office was going on maternity leave, so I interviewed (on September 11, 2001) and got the job. From there, I began looking for jobs back in Grandparent Territory, and eventually I landed work in Tulsa.

For my first five years with TCCL, I was the Business Reference Librarian at my current location. Not exactly the best fit for someone with all that teen-oriented experience, but I've always prided myself on having knowledge a mile wide and at least an inch or two deep, so it worked out well for me, and eventually I was given responsibility for teen services, and I couldn't be happier.

So, that's my "library route". If you've managed to read this far, I'm glad you're still here. Thanks and happy reading!

Breaking the Cycle

2009-10-09T08:33:00.001-05:00

The defining trope of my childhood was that I was the underdog. I was the picked-on, the teased, the friendless, sitting alone on the playground with a book. This shaped my self-image for a long time, and is still something I struggle with today.

From conversations with my father and brother, I know that they had similar experiences, so I have been, consciously or unconsciously, waiting for the same thing to happen with BB.

This morning, he and I had a long talk on the way to school, about friends and teasing and getting along. It seems to be that he's a pretty happy kid. I asked him about a teasing incident he'd mentioned to me fron a couple of weeks ago, and he seemed surprised that I remembered. It hasn't affected his friendship with the boy in question. I asked him if he had a best friend, and he told me it was hard to pick one, and he has at least four candidates. My best friend was always just the one who picked on me least.

I'm beginning to have some hope. Not just that BB himself will escape his school years with self-esteem intact, but that maybe the whole system has gotten better. At the very least, I feel proud of my son, who is growing up to be a good and decent young man who has a hard time even grasping the concept of bullying.

Techno-what? or Where's Karl on Thursdays?

2009-09-25T12:19:00.002-05:00

Friends have been asking me what's up with the "Techno-fast" thing I've been doing on Thursdays. Some are even taking great delight in catching me out if they see any online activity from me that day. I'm glad that people are interested, and I thought I'd write it up and give everyone the facts.

The first thing I want to say is that this is my own thing. I do this for myself, and I'm not advocating it for anyone else, nor am I judging or condemning anyone else's actions. It's all about me (isn't everything?) :-)

This all started when I participated in Adbusters' Digital Detox (https://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/digitaldetox) back in April. I became aware of it at a time when I was struggling with the parts that the Internet and technology play in my life. As I told some friends recently, the Internet taught me how to make and keep friends, and many of my most important relationships are with people I know online, but it also came close to losing me a job. I learned a few things about myself during that week, but it was a one-shot deal.

Then, this summer, Kim and I participated in a Bible study called The Hurried Family. The class was great for us, helping us get some perspective on the things that we do and the reasons we do them. The class featured weekly challenges, and one of them was to pick a day and give up something technological. So I chose Thursday, and chose to do a mini-Detox that day. I enjoyed it so much that I'm working to make it a weekly thing.

So, here are some of the questions that arise:

What exactly am I giving up?

At a minimum, I go 24 hours without watching a television or using a computer for personal reasons. Since my job requires me to stay on top of e-mail and to help patrons with online research, I can't really give up computers completely.

In addition, I try to keep from sending text messages. I don't listen to the radio or CDs in the car. As much as possible, I try not to be a consumer of media for that one day a week.

There are a few exceptions. I continue to read, and since I use GoodReads to track my reading, if I finish a book or start a new one, I still record that. That's why you might see something pop up on facebook or Twitter about what I'm reading. Also, in an emergency, all bets are off. I'll use whatever I need.

Why??

At first, the main reason was to challenge myself. Can I do this? Am I an addict, or could I quit if I needed to?

The reasons that I continue to do it are more esoteric. A good friend once told me he envied my ability to be by myself. He was impressed that I didn't have to be around people all the time. In recent years I've become aware that, even when I'm alone, I surround myself with distractions. Often I'm doing multiple things (watching TV, knitting, and checking social networks is pretty common) so that there's never a moment when I'm at rest. This has meant that my ability to be truly alone and introspective has atrophied. Turning off all that stuff and giving myself some silence has been helpful in this way.

There's also an element of mindfulness in all this. More about that next.

Am I adding anything?

Well, I'm continuing to read, knit, and crochet, so I do a bit more of that than I would otherwise.

The other thing is, when I feel the urge to pull out my BlackBerry and update my status, or check Twitter, or do any of the other things I usually do, I stop and think. Why am I doing that? What's motivating me? Am I feeling lonely? Is there something really interesting I want to share? Am I just bored and looking for distraction? Increased self-awareness has become an important part of this experiment.

Something else I've been doing recently is making those times an opportunity for prayer. Did I want to Tweet something cute that one of the kids is doing? Offer up a prayer of thanksgiving. Did I want to post a photo of something cool I saw? Praise God for the wonder of his creation. Am I unhappy? Angry? Lonely? Ask God for help and guidance. This is a significant change for me, as my prayer life is usually confined to specific events.

What am I learning?

I can do this. I can make the commitment, follow through, and stick with it.

I'm not as important as I think I am. The Internet is not going to fall apart if I don't participate in discussions for one day. :-)

When I need something, I'm learning non-technological ways to get it. If I do personal research at the library, I use books. When I have time at home with the kids, the TV has to be off, so we play and read and do other things.

So, that's all very long-winded, and probably boring to some, but I hope it helps the curious to understand what I'm doing and why. Thanks for reading it all!

Fort Cute

2009-08-17T18:05:00.001-05:00

The boys built a fort this morning while TS had breakfast. Once she was done she crashed the party, literally. BB rebuilt with an added blanket so it was big enough for all three. They seem to be enjoying themselves.

My First Ponytail

2009-08-14T16:40:00.001-05:00

Well, it's not MY first. That would have been sometime in my senior year of high school. This is TS's first, though. Isn't she precious?

Elmo is a Good Listener

2009-08-14T14:20:00.001-05:00

LB decided to get out his guitar and try a few licks to show off for the Elmo puppet.

LB Leaps In

2009-07-06T11:53:00.001-05:00

The boys are starting swimming lessons today. BB didn't get in the water due to a scheduling mixup, but LB had a great time, despite getting a bit nervous toward the end

One-Skillet Kraut Dinner

2009-06-19T18:17:00.002-05:00

Kim can't stand sauerkraut. She won't even have it in the house when she's around, so it's traditional for me to make it when she goes out of town, because I love the stuff.

Since she and BB are on the campout this weekend, it's kraut night for me! This is how I did it:

Ingredients:
2# canned or jarred sauerkraut (get the best you can find/afford)
10-16oz kielbasa or other smoked sausage
1 Granny Smith Apple
1 small red onion
1.5tsp whole caraway seeds (may sub fennel or anise, or leave out altogether)
2T apple cider vinegar
salt

Prep:
Drain kraut thoroughly (I used a salad spinner). Slice sausage on the bias into 1/4" elongated rounds. Peel, core, and chop the apple. Halve the onion and slice thinly to create half-rings.

Cooking:
Heat cast-iron skillet five minutes over medium heat. Toast caraway seeds for 30-60 seconds or until fragrant, then remove and set aside. Brown sausage coins for 2 minutes per side, remove and set aside. Sweat onions in sausage fat with sprinkling of salt until softened. Deglaze pan with vinegar, cooking down until concentrated. Add apples and cook until they take on color. Stir in caraway and kraut. Cook for about three minutes to bring out flavors. Top with sausage, cover, and let all steam for two minutes to finish softening apples.

I ate it with chopsticks. :-)

Single Dad for a Day or Two

2009-06-19T14:19:00.001-05:00

Kim and BB are at a Scout campout for the weekend. I've got the littlies. My only goal is to get out of the house once a day. Today we accomplished that with some errands, including a stop at the Herman and Kate Kaiser Library, where TS made the acquaintance of the giant bunny.

Crafty!

2009-06-17T21:00:00.001-05:00

A few months ago I taught a crochet class to some folks on Wednesday nights at our church. When that was over, we elected to keep gong as an informal crafting circle. I'm becoming good friends with the ladies in the group, all of whom are also in the quilting circle. They have some great stories to tell!

One of these days I might take a Thursday morning off and see if I can sit in on the quilting.

BB is an acolyte

2009-06-14T10:06:00.001-05:00

in the Lutheran church, grade school kids act as acolytes, lighting and extinguishing the candles. At the end of the service, they relight their tapers from the last candles and symbolically carry the light out into the world.

Ordinarily there's only one acolyte, but BB is in training, so his first time is with a partner. It's a pretty big deal. He's so proud!

Fireflies

2009-06-13T23:13:00.001-05:00

Tonight at the zoo there was a profusion of fireflies all around. BB and some other boys his age were catching them and letting them go. It made me think back to nights in Topeka as a kid, when Jay and I would do the same. I'm saddened that our boys so seldom have the chance to just play outside with no plan or structure. I want that for them so badly.

It really was a magical evening. Not just the fireflies, but everything. Good friends, the train and the carousel, baby lions and flamingoes... all wonderful. We don't get many nights like that in our lives. Cherish them.

Long Morning

2009-06-07T12:48:00.001-05:00

It wasn't five minutes in the van after church this afternoon and TS was already zonked out. LB doesn't look all that lively, either. :-)

Three Penny Upright at Ida Red

2009-06-04T22:05:00.001-05:00

Went to hear a local band of some renown tonight. Anytime you've got little girls dancing and a lead singer with a washboard, you know it's gonna be a good night. :-)

I has a pretty!

2009-06-04T18:26:00.001-05:00

Today I had a great teen program with members of the Oklahoma Bead Society, teaching teens to make beaded bracelets. We had 35 in attendance! I had a chance to make a bracelet, and I gave it to TS when I got home. She loves it. :-)

Bangin' on the Bongos like a Chimpanzee

2009-06-03T20:55:00.001-05:00

Our local Parents As Teachers hold a playgroup on Monday mornings during the school year. I've posted photos before of the littlies playing at the elementary school where it's held. It's summer now, of course, but one of the regular parents is organizing some summer outings for the group. Here are TS and LB trying out the fire truck at the Mohawk Park playground." />
I continue to neglect my macro-blogging in favor of facebook and Twitter. I'm trying out a new service (well, new to me anyway) called Ping.fm that's supposed to make it easier to pull all these things together.

Our local Parents As Teachers hold a playgroup on Monday mornings during the school year. I've posted photos before of the littlies playing at the elementary school where it's held. It's summer now, of course, but one of the regular parents is organizing some summer outings for the group. Here are TS and LB trying out the fire truck at the Mohawk Park playground.

2009-06-03T11:53:00.001-05:00

just accidentally Ping.fm.

My -ism

2009-04-30T17:23:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile since I've posted. I've been focusing my online time on facebook, and I also did a Digital Detox for a week. That was an interesting experience.

I decided to post today because I discovered my -ism! I've been drawing for awhile, and I've learned that I'm attracted to subjects with a lot of straight lines, a lot of rectilinear forms, crossings, architectural elements, etc. The photo above is an example. It's a sketch I made of the beamed ceiling of the Broken Arrow library, about three years ago.

Some time ago, I learned that there's a name for this. There was an artistic movement called "precisionism" that featured the same kinds of attention to detail and fascination with industrial and architectural subjects that I seem to have.

So there it is. I'm a precisionist! I also found a kindred spirit of sorts in the blogger behind six martinis and the seventh art. I found her through a google search for "precisionism", and found that she seems to share my aesthetic, though she finds images she loves in old films. There are some gorgeous stills on her blog. Take a look!

The Snow Came After All

2009-03-29T10:42:00.001-05:00

Tulsa got slammed with more than six inches of snow yesterday. It was balm for my Minnesota soul. More photos at http://tinyurl.com/…geddon2009.

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Hailstones

2009-03-28T07:37:00.002-05:00

The threatened Oklahoma Spring Snowmageddon has not materialized, but evidently there was hail at some point overnight.

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Independent Play

2009-03-23T10:48:00.001-05:00

TS is figuring out how the blocks fit together.

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It Begins

2009-03-09T15:30:00.001-05:00

TS kicks back with some littachoor. I can't read the cover very well, but I'm pretty sure that's either War and Peace or Foucault's Pendulum. I'll have to get a report from her later.

Photo by Kim.

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Bubble Baby

2009-03-07T15:53:00.001-06:00

TS gets her first taste of playground equipment.

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It's Full Of Stars!

2009-02-23T17:28:00.001-06:00

The current issue of Library Journal has the results of their first-ever Index of Public Library Service. Based on 2006 data, it surveys more than 7,000 public libraries and gives Michelin-style star ratings to 256 of the best. You can see details at http://www.libraryjournal.com/…jindex2009.

Well, I'm proud to say that my employer, Tulsa City-County Library, is the only five-star library in the state of Oklahoma! It's a recognition of the great service we provide to our patrons, and of the appreciation they show us in return.

I'd like to thank the Academy... I mean LJ for this great honor. I'd also like to congratulate my Oklahoma colleagues in Kenowa and Stratford who made the list, and recognize some "home libraries" from my past: Hays Public Library in Kansas, KCPL in Missouri, and St. Paul Public in Minnesota are also Star Libraries. Hooray!

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Crochet Earbud Covers

2009-02-20T23:28:00.001-06:00

I have two different pairs of stereo earbuds that have lost their useless little foamy covers, so I went looking for alternatives, and voila! Kim's reaction, and I quote: "You are such a dork!". Cool! Gonna start on the second pair. Maybe I'll knit instead of crocheting.

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Muahahahahahahahahaaaaaa!

2009-02-19T19:37:00.001-06:00

"Now that I have harnessed nuclear fusion, the world is MINE!"

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Award-Winner

2009-02-18T00:38:00.001-06:00

BB accepts his "Best Paint Job" certificate from the Cubmaster.

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What's Wrong With This Picture?

2009-02-15T13:16:00.001-06:00

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Toy Box

2009-02-14T18:39:00.001-06:00

My folks came to visit this weekend and brought us some gifts. What was the most popular item? If you look closely, you can see LB's foot sticking out at the bottom.

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...And An 8.5 From The Russian Judge...

2009-02-14T08:19:00.001-06:00

I so want to Photoshop my dad out of this shot, but I don't have the skills.

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Killer Ride, Dude!

2009-02-12T23:51:00.001-06:00

Here's BB's pinecar racer. Time trials are tomorrow. Wish him luck!

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Metablogging

2009-02-09T12:52:00.000-06:00

TCCL (my employer) is running a Library 2.0 training series called "23 Things". Part of the assignment is for us to create a blog. Of course, I have one here, but I created a new one just for the course. I thought I'd link to it here. Due to the nature of the assignments, it's going to be a lot of metablogging, talking about what I already do or hope to do online, and trying out new things.

Snow Day?

2009-02-09T11:38:00.001-06:00

At the PAT playgroup this morning, TS had a good time with the fake snow the teachers made for the kids. It was her first time at this event.

Just a reminder: I can only really post one picture to these blog entries easily, but I often send more to my flickr photostream. You can see them at http://www.flickr.com/…s/yoyology.

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TS = Tiny Simmons?

2009-02-06T17:29:00.001-06:00

I swear I'm gonna build a baby KISS tribute band around this girl.

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Big Chair, Little Chair

2009-02-06T17:03:00.001-06:00

The weather today was perfect. This morning I took the littlies out on the porch and let them run around, and this afternoon LB asked if we could go for a walk, "Pretty please?" So he and I wandered the complex for about 45 minutes. We had a great time.

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My Sweater Gets More Exposure

2009-02-05T21:09:00.003-06:00

There's a knitting blog called Zimmermania dedicated to the designer and knitting writer Elizabeth Zimmerman. I used her book Knitting Without Tears to make my sweater, so I asked permission to post about it, and they agreed. Take a look!

Oh, and I've also marked the project "completed" on Ravelry and added additional photos there. If you're a Raveler, take a peek.

IT IS FINISHED!!!!!

2009-02-03T02:43:00.001-06:00

After months of sometimes boring, sometimes frustrating work, my first sweater is DONE! The collar is a little squared off, and the sleeves might be a touch too long, but overall I am very happy with how it turned out!

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LB: General Contractor

2009-01-30T21:10:00.001-06:00

He built this "house" himself!

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Snow Day

2009-01-27T09:11:00.001-06:00

Schools and libraries are all closed today due to ice, but we have power! The boys are working off some energy by dancing with the Imagination Movers.

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Finery

2009-01-25T17:47:00.001-06:00

The luncheon at church today had a Mardi Gras theme. TS enjoyed the glitz.

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Breaking Ground

2009-01-25T17:45:00.001-06:00

Our church is getting ready to expand the building to the east. This morning was our big groundbreaking celebration. The boys helped out.

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Couch Fort

2009-01-23T21:32:00.001-06:00

The boys made a living room fort tonight. It turned out really well! I'm impressed with their construction skills. More pix at http://www.facebook.com/album.php

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Buddy Gettin' Down

2009-01-19T12:23:00.001-06:00

You haven't lived until you've watched a guy in a worm suit do the "Stanky Leg". Today was the Tulsa Martin Luther King Parade. Best-attended one I've seen in the seven years I've been going. Buddy was a big hit.

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Hey, look, it's a sweater!

2009-01-11T17:48:00.001-06:00

At long last, I finished my sleeves and joined them on. The end is in sight. I might actually finish it when there are still cool days to wear it!

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My first accessory

2009-01-09T07:59:00.001-06:00

TS's hair keeps falling in her eyes, and we don't want to get it cut just yet, so I found this little butterfly clip in Kim's tub o' hair things.

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2009 Self-portrait

2009-01-06T15:07:00.001-06:00

One of my online communities is asking for self-portraits at he beginning of this year. Here's mine.

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First Choir Practice

2009-01-04T17:31:00.001-06:00

LB turned 3 today and is old enough to participate in the Cherub Choir. Here he is tiptoeing to an action song.

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BB, tree-climbing expert

2009-01-02T11:50:00.001-06:00

"You know, I've been climbing trees all my life, but not trees near overhead lines. 'Cause if you touch one of those lines, or your weight makes a branch touch one of those lines, that electricity will come straight to you. And that can hurt. It may even kill you. And climbing utility poles is really dumb. So, remember, always look up before climbing, and stay out of trees near overhead lines."

That PSA used to run on Saturday mornings on one of the Topeka TV stations. It was obviously quite effective, since I can still quote it, verbatim, thirty years later.

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BB, tree-climbing expert

2009-01-02T11:43:00.001-06:00

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BB, tree-climbing expert

2009-01-02T11:24:00.001-06:00

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Milkface

2008-12-30T15:46:00.001-06:00

TS was playing with her bottle. Perhaps she's secretly Hindi?

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Let The Shredding Commence

2008-12-24T21:05:00.001-06:00

LB asked Grandpa Paul for a guitar for Christmas. Grandpa Paul, who toured Europe with a rock band straight out of high school and still plays a mean blues riff or ten, took him at his word.

That's a Washburn solid-body electric. It has a typical amp output, but also has its own integrated amp and speaker so he can play it on it own. And it's decorated with a Disney Cars theme. It couldn't be more perfect.

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Da Boid

2008-12-24T16:41:00.001-06:00

I wanted to take a beautiful, Norman-Rockwell-esque photo of our beautiful turkey fresh from the oven, but we just couldn't wait. So here's the ravaged carcass. Man, was it tasty! Way to go, Kim, and thanks to my parents for providing the bird in te first place.

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Better Goodreads?

2008-12-22T20:36:00.001-06:00

I love http://www.goodreads.com/. It's a beautiful site that does a great job of connecting readers with books and with each other. Many of my librarian colleagues and other bookish friends use it. But here's the problem: when I'm reading, I'm rarely near a computer.

When I pick up a book to read, or put down a book I've just finished, I'm in bed, or in the recliner, or at the lunch table at work. I'm almost never at the computer, because when I'm at the computer, I'm using it. For me, (and I suspect, most people) reading and web surfing are mutually exclusive activities.

Now, I do keep track of what I read. I do that with something that's always with me: my BlackBerry. Regular readers of my blog know it's my preferred Web 2.0 device. I'm posting this with it right now, in fact. I use a spreadsheet program called GridMagic to note the start and end times of each book I read, because it's important to me to know how much I'm reading, what kinds of books, and when. I used to post a monthly summary here on the blog, but that doesn't happen much anymore. However, I have begun sharing books with friends by doing a separate Twitter post each time I start or finish. This isn't satisfactory. I hate having to duplicate my efforts.

Of course, the perfect solution would be a mobile Goodreads. And in fact, there is one, but it inexplicably includes no facility for putting information INTO Goodreads. You can query the database to see if something's on your to-read list, but you can't add anything.

The same goes for Shelfari, LibraryThing, and other similar services I've found. This is, to say the least, frustrating.

I have an idea for a webservice that would take my tweets and put the information from them into a database or spreadsheet, or possibly take the information at a central point (like a WAP-friendly mobile site), store it and also make my tweets for me. If it would update my Facebook status, too, that would be epic. But that will take time and coding. Why can't Goodreads just make a mobile site that accepts data? Or at the very least, build that capability into their existing API?

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Birthday Celebration

2008-12-20T20:03:00.001-06:00

TS turned 1 earlier this week, but my folks came into town this weekend, so we are having her dinner out tonight at Wasabi, which is becoming our birthday place. She had tamago sushi, and of course the traditional first chocolate.

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Stir Crazy?

2008-12-15T16:50:00.001-06:00

LB has decided that the world is now clothing-optional. He pulled his pants down in Mardel's the other day. Not the best place for a striptease. Now he's dancing around the living room in his diaper with the nursing pillow as his tutu.

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Christmas Red

2008-12-14T08:24:00.001-06:00

We all dressed this morning to match TS's beautiful outfit. BB even tied his own tie!

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Daughter's First School Project

2008-12-10T21:14:00.001-06:00

TS also had "school" today, and she made these beautiful snowflakes for us!

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School At Last!

2008-12-10T14:21:00.001-06:00

LB has been putting a backpack on and asking to go to school for months now. Today he started! It's his first day at bilingual preschool. I dropped by to peek in while he was getting ready for snack.

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A Fungus Among Us

2008-12-03T07:53:00.001-06:00

A clutch of mushrooms grows from the hollow of a crabapple tree near our home.

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Mini And Me

2008-11-29T13:21:00.001-06:00

BB got his first look at his great-uncle's classic Mini Cooper yesterday.

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Feelin' Punk

2008-11-27T09:14:00.001-06:00

That's what my grandma used to say when one of us kids was under the weather. LB went to Urgent Care at about midnight because he woke up with a croupy cough and trouble breathing. The doc gave him Motrin and recommended cold air. When it happened again at 6:30, I took him outside, and it seemed to help. Not a fun way to spend Thanksgiving.

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Legacy

2008-11-26T10:03:00.001-06:00

This rocket/plane was an outdoor swing bought for an older cousin, now 11. It's lasted through four kids so far.

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My First Research Project

2008-11-23T21:57:00.001-06:00

BB needed to do a country study for school. He chose Guyana because our church has missions there. His poster includes two flags, some Guyanese money, and a woven placemat.

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Future Blackmail Photo

2008-11-22T16:08:00.001-06:00

Bathtime. Photo by Kim.

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Walk Along!

2008-11-21T19:19:00.001-06:00

TS is so close to walking on her own!

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Simple Pleasures Are The Best

2008-11-15T20:32:00.001-06:00

I built the kids a cardboard box fort tonight. It was interesting to see the different ways they interacted with it. BB made several improvements, including building a table inside. TS was excitable and somewhat destructive. LB, normally the most energetic and excitable, simply crawled inside and stayed there, playing quietly for almost an hour!

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International Flavor

2008-11-15T12:56:00.001-06:00

TS has her first naan at Tulsa's Kids World.

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Gratitude For Service

2008-11-10T08:55:00.001-06:00

At this morning's assembly at BB's school, the students are honoring veterans. BB will be singing a solo.

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Guitar Heroes

2008-11-10T07:20:00.001-06:00

LB and TS show off the souvenir squishy guitars I found at the Nashville airport

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Free Book Feeding Frenzy

2008-11-08T18:17:00.001-06:00

Librarians just can't help ourselves, can we?

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Gene Luen Yang

2008-11-08T16:22:00.001-06:00

Author/Artist of American Born Chinese drew his favorite character for us at the YA Lit Symposium.

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New Coat

2008-11-08T10:36:00.001-06:00

TS is lookin' faboo!

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A Real Morning In America

2008-11-04T23:38:00.001-06:00

My eldest son turned 9 today, and I hope that, in the years to come, he can look back and say that this was the day the world changed. This was the day America began to be good again. This was the day we made a choice to move forward in optimism toward a more peaceful and hopeful world.

In his speech, President-Elect Obama told us that we have a lot of work to do. I'm ready to answer that call. For the sake of my son, his brother and sister, and all of their brothers and sisters around the world, I hope that we all pitch in, work together, and do what needs to be done.

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Birthday Boy

2008-11-04T08:12:00.001-06:00

That's what BB stands for today. He's nine years old! Wow.

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Weekend Update, Part Two

2008-11-03T10:52:00.001-06:00

On Sunday, Kim's and my twelfth wedding anniversary, BB and I participated with my mom and dad in a concert by the Springfield Mid-America Singers. We sang "When I Lay Me Down To Sleep", an arrangement by my choir director Vicki Smith. BB finished the song with an a cappella solo that brought down the house!

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Weekend Update

2008-11-03T10:47:00.001-06:00

We traveled to Springfield, MO on Friday to visit my folks. There we saw this amusing piece of yard art from someone who survived last year's ice storms.

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With More News and Les Nesman

2008-10-31T13:25:00.001-05:00

This one's for Lynn Paden

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Early Results

2008-10-30T18:57:00.001-05:00

BB's class voted today, and went 64% for Obama. The other classrooms I saw had similar results posted. Hope is alive at Eisenhower International School!

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Burnt Out

2008-10-27T12:13:00.001-05:00

Last night there was a fire in one of the buildings in our complex. Looks to me like it started in the chimney. There were 8 fire trucks in the area. This happened far enough away from our duplex not to be a threat, but still... That's the second fire in The Highlands (formerly The Falls) since we moved in just over a year ago. This worries me a bit.

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Hot Roddin'

2008-10-25T20:21:00.001-05:00

Grandma Jo took this shot of the boys at the mall.

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Apple Time

2008-10-25T11:37:00.001-05:00

The Topeka grandparents are visiting. They brought two boxes of apples from their trees, and they're teaching LB the fine art of preparing them for freezing.

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Dancin' Queen

2008-10-22T19:24:00.001-05:00

TS wants to boogie with the big kids!

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Getting Political, Just This Once

2008-10-21T09:34:00.001-05:00

Those of you seeing this on Facebook will be surprised at that title, since I've made my opinions pretty clear over there. However, on my blog proper, I pretty much keep to cute kid pictures. However, I think this is pretty important, so I'm taking a moment to talk about my candidate, Barack Obama.

First I want to speak to my readers who have decided to vote for John McCain. If you have made a reasoned decision, based on facts and issues, I applaud you. McCain is a man I respect and admire in many ways. However, there is a lot of bad information floating around out there. I would ask each of you to spend some time looking at two websites:

http://www.factcheck.org/ is a non-partisan site that examines claims made by both candidates and compares them to the truth, based on established facts.

http://www.barackobama.com/index.php is Obama's official website. Before you believe someone else's characterization of what he stands for, look at what he says for himself.

If you've not made a decision, please look at those websites as well. This is a very important election, and it's absolutely necessary to be informed.

Finally, if you are an Obama supporter like me, and you have been watching the news and the polls, you may believe that this is in the bag. Please, don't relax! There's half a month left before that all-important Tuesday, and the only poll that really matters happens then. A few thoughts:

Anything can happen. The phrase "October Surprise" means just that. We could see some new smear by the right that they've been holding in reserve. There could be a foreign policy crisis that the McCain camp could use to raise the false specter of inexperience. We must maintain support and keep building right up until the big day.

Dirty tricks are a political reality. We're already hearing reports of touch-screen voting machines in West Virginia changing votes (http://blog.wired.com/…chine.html) The Republicans are doing everything they can to suppress voter turnout in swing states. We need every advantage of numbers we can get to protect against this.

We need to win big. High turnouts for Obama mean better chances for Democratic candidates for Congress as well. If we believe in what Obama wants to accomplish, we need to make sure that he has the backing to make it happen, and that the numbers are firmly behind him. Remember all of Bush's talk in 2004 about "political capital" and "mandates"? Barack Obama needs to be able to make the same case.

So, if you are already for Obama, speak up. Do as I've done and tell your friends and family how you feel. Give them the tools to make informed decisions, and let them know how important this is to you and to the country.

Thank you very much for listening.

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She Can Haz Cheezburger?

2008-10-19T12:38:00.001-05:00

I r kitteh. Srsly.

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Goth Prom

2008-10-18T22:38:00.001-05:00

Local authors PC and Kristin Cast held a book launch party for the fourth in their House Of Night series tonight at my library. The first hour was a Q&A and signing with the authors, but after that we had a two-hour dance. More than 60 teens came and rocked out. It was a great way to celebrate my birthday!

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Does this dress make me look fat?

2008-10-12T11:03:00.001-05:00

I'm acting as Assisting Minister this month, something I really enjoy. It's a great opportunity to feel more connected both to God and to the congregation.

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Lazy Day

2008-10-11T13:41:00.001-05:00

Kim and BB are on the Mom & Me cub scout campout this weekend. I'm hanging with the small ones. Today we do nothing. It's good.

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Reading himself to sleep

2008-10-10T12:51:00.001-05:00

Kim took this shot of LB napping. Her caption? "Like father like son.". :-)

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Heart of Tonkawa

2008-10-09T18:18:00.001-05:00

I have a fascination with labyrinths going back to the one mown into the grass at St. Kate's where I went to library school. When today's class was over I wanted to tour Tonkawa a bit before heading home, and this is what I found.

The "Heart in the Park" is a cobbled labyrinth in the shape of a heart, built in 2007 to celebrate Tonkawa's place in history as "The Wheatheart of Oklahoma", a distinction of which I was ignorant before visiting this place.

Tonkawa is also home to Northern Oklahoma College. With their "Maverick" mascot, perhaps they'll grant an honorary degree to John McCain someday.

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Rural Decay

2008-10-09T13:17:00.001-05:00

Today I drove about 100 miles from Tulsa to Tonkawa to teach a class. Along the way I stopped and took this shot of an abandoned farmhouse and outbuildings north of Ceres, Oklahoma. It reminds me of Kim's and my first house, a place we rented outside of Polo, Missouri in a similar location, but much better repair. This must have been rich farming country, for the town to be named after the Roman harvest goddess.

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Against The Darkness

2008-10-07T20:00:00.001-05:00

Tonight after supper we turned the lights off and played with flashlights. It's the simple games that offer that sense of wonder, isn't it?

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A Renaissance Man

2008-10-04T14:34:00.001-05:00

Due to poor planning, I didn't manage a period costume for this year's RenFaire. Since our theme is "Once Upon A Time", I decided to be a folklorist studying the stories.

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A Scaly Discovery

2008-10-02T20:17:00.001-05:00

I've noticed a lot of garter snakes around the complex. We mostly find their remains after ants have already disposed of most of them. I think the feral cats that roam the area kill them. This one we were lucky enough to spot still alive and slithering. At least, he would have been if he weren't coiled up so tightly.

This post is especially significant. It's the first time one of the kids has shot a blog photo. BB, future photojournalist?

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There's only so many ways you can say Taking A W

2008-10-02T19:41:00.001-05:00

Kim took TS to the store tonight, and the boys and I went walking for a bit. LB usually hates having his hand held, but he didn't let go this time!

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