I’m exceedingly thankful for libraries. AND for librarians, who rank up there w/ superheroes (& heroines) to me. From my first foray into the bookmobile (travelling books?? what magic!), to the Việtnamese American Association Library around the street from us in Saigon, to the dusty musty stacks in grad school, I have been faithful to libraries.
I have checked out the maximum number of books allowed and begged for more. I have cruised and pilfered the shelves reserved for ‘the big kids.’ In 4th grade, I checked outGone With the Wind. And even though the whole war to defend slavery seemed pretty dumb to me (still does, just FYI), I loved the history and the dresses… Scarlett seemed a bit whiney, even to a 4th grader, but oh well.
In graduate school, research librarians taught me how to research. Taught me how to cruise shelves — a skill dying w/ digitisation. And as an undergraduate, I even worked in a library. In the reserve room, in the stacks reshelving, for Mr. Miracle at the front desk. It was heaven: books everywhere and time to touch and read them.
So today I sing the praises of libraries and the librarians who are the gentlest of tyrants. If you haven’t been in years, get thee to a bibliotèque. They have computers now (for those who insist on Google), and movies, and music, and old TV shows on DVD, and the old reliable: books. The first portable entertainment device ~
|
Previous Posts
Vesākha Puja Day (and making merit) ~
Although May/ late spring celebrations in Buddhism go back centuries, it was only in 1950 that the Buddhist world agreed to celebrate Vesākha Puja together, on the full moon day in the month of May. In other words, May 25th this year.
In other Buddhist communities, the holiday celebrating the bi
posted 5:29:05pm May. 24, 2013 |
read full post
»
the love of a teacher ~
Just yesterday this post-apocalyptic scene was a school, where children sat at tables, learning. Where teachers sat with them, facilitating that learning. Hours later, a tornado turned that normally noisy scene into hell.
Moore, Oklahoma is familiar with tornadoes. Two other horrific ones have hi
posted 12:28:15pm May. 21, 2013 |
read full post
»
bees, and going with the flow ~
I've always wanted to keep bees. Perhaps it's my Uncle Russell's fault, although I'm pretty sure that my fascination w/ bees predates Uncle Russell's beekeeping days...
More likely it's from reading the French entomologist Jean-Henri Fabre as a child. And following bees around. Like I did ants, a
posted 3:44:50pm May. 20, 2013 |
read full post
»
art festivals & beginner's heart ~
Art festivals rock. Really! Tents of cool trinkets to explore, music, junk food (although really: who considers locally made chocolate gelato junk?), kids with painted faces... What's not to love?
This week is Tulsa's MayFest weekend. An old festival (as these things go), the original MayFest h
posted 6:17:18pm May. 19, 2013 |
read full post
»
grand-nephews & grace ~
My grand-nephew is a hoot. Named for my younger son, little Noah is funny, drop-dead cute, and tons of fun. A great companion for a Friday adventure. So today, when he arrived w/ his grandmother -- my younger sister -- in tow, I knew fun was walking in the door, too.
He made straight for the brea
posted 3:52:24pm May. 17, 2013 |
read full post
»
|