Thank Baby Jesus, it's over!

So, Summer Reading ended tonight. It has been about two months of hell. I've been planning since before the new year and now it has come to an end. I feel like it was a success, regardless of the few complaints I got - which isn't bad considering we had over 1000 participants. I have the next two days off and I plan on doing nothing. I am going to lay around and be lazy. I think I might see a movie. Beer is definitely on the menu (actually it is on the menu right now as I write this). Oh, I've also got a cold, but I told someone tonight I'd rather have a cold than have any more Summer Reading.

July

This month has been very long. Work has been extremely trying and I've been working like a dog. Summer Reading just takes it out of me. I think it is the unrelenting nature of the days. There is just something going on all the time and it seems endless. It is certainly something that can make you burn out.

Today I was struck by two conflicting opinions about my Summer Reading program (and it was mine - I planned EVERY activity -all 52 separate events). I had people thank me for everything my staff and I had done over the past couple of months and then I had someone who was quite displeased with my policies. I held firm, and backed up one of the people in my department, but it was still irritating. Here's the thing - we offer everything free of charge and we basically work our asses off to reward children for reading. Don't get me wrong. I want to instill a love of reading in kids. I want them to love it like I do. But I also want parents to take responsibility for their own actions and if they don't pay attention to deadlines, then it's their problem not mine.

Ahh. Now I feel better. Just needed to get it off my chest.

Back from the beach...

Several friends and I headed down to Gulf Shores this weekend. We left around midnight Friday night and got back Monday night. It was a quick trip, but a little something to calm me before the craziness of Summer Reading. I called work today to check in and see how things were going and I just shouldn't have done it. Seriously, why did I call in? It's not going to make me feel any better. I'm not going to be able to fix anything and all it does is make me feel guilty about not being at work. Literally, I took 2 vacation days and I feel guilty. It's ridiculous. I hate the summer. That is one thing about being a children's librarian in a public library - you lose your summer. You learn to dread it and I all think about is summers of days gone by. Why didn't I appreciate summers off? I'm going to have to wait until I'm 65 to have another summer off.

If you can't tell, I seem to be suffering from vacation blues.

It was a good week

As I am a superstitious person (when it comes to acknowledging good things) I am a bit hesitant to admit that I had a great week. As you know, I had my "snow day" on Monday, went to work on Tuesday, went to a conference on Wednesday and Thursday and then went to work Friday. All in all, it was an easy week and I know that next week will be harder, but it was nice to just a have a week to coast.

Currently, I am reading The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs for my book club. I'm a little over halfway through the book and I think it's my favorite so far. I would recommend it to the ladies out there.

I've been giving more thought to the writing idea and I think I might pursue the idea of writing about working in a library. I think I will use some of my own experiences and expand on it from there. No worries, I don't plan on "dooce-ing" myself.

So that's it in a nutshell.

Last one for the week...

Today's question is once again inspired by my boring endless workday...

"When I am bored at work and want to goof off, I..."

It pretty much starts when I get to work and I check www.cnn.com before I check my email. I review the stories that seem interesting. I return to good ole' CNN at least 3 or 4 times a day and work my way through the stories that go from very interesting to just something to read. I am also constantly on www.amazon.com - my favorite thing to do is read the reviews that people have written about books I have already read. I like to see what other people think, particularly the 5 star and 1 star reviews. I'm weird, so what?

Thanks for participating in theme week. I believe I'll try it again in the somewhat near future.

New Question

This is something I thought about today as I gazed longingly out the window of a back office at work. Not that college was great all the time, but there were definitely some awesome perks...

"what is something that you took for granted while you were in college?"

I took for granted the ability to have maybe two classes a day and spending the rest of my time doing what I wanted. Being able to hang out on the quad during the middle of the day and enjoying a beautiful day outside. Oh the life!

P.S. if you didn't go to college then you could just answer it from the point of view of something you took for granted when you were younger.

Blast from the past: theme week

If you've read ye ole' blog since or around its inception, I used to be much more interprising and creative. I used to have theme weeks. So I've decided for sh*ts and giggles to try it out again. Usually, I give a little notice, but oh well here goes...if you have anything to contribute feel free...

"Today at work I did something you didn't do"

I cleaned out a hamster cage while listening to my ipod which is loaded with 80s, hardcore rap, and electronica.

what about you...?

Should have stayed in bed

A change is a comin.'

Monday was one of those days where all things that could go wrong did go wrong. Am I going to rehash it for you folks? Nope. I'm moving past that.

Christmas is a week from today. I am promising myself not to get caught up in the same ol' b.s. at home. I am going to do what I want when I want and ignore the bah-humbug mumblings of Kenny G. He will not steal the Christmas spirit. Even if I have to lock him in a closet and throw away the key.

Happy Holidays!

Just not a good day

It was one of those days. You know the kind - it just starts a little off and keeps going in that direction. I messed up a couple of things and felt like an idiot. A little boy peed in one of our chairs...and I got to disinfect the site. I am off for the next few days and I am hoping to regroup and enjoy my time away.

Oh!

I forgot. I'm going to the Christmas Village that is at the convention center. That will surely cheer me up!! Yay!

P.S. - checkout my new Christmas Countdown ticker at the bottom of the page. Now you will know exactly how much time you have to shop.

It's noon on Monday...what are you doing?

I just went to the grocery store and did a little anthropological observation. Most of the people that were shopping were either of the retirement set or soccer moms. Pretty standard, right? Well, I had to wonder about the the random people shopping that should have been at work. Actually, I guess I'm talking about me because I took the day off and I am quite enjoying it. I wish I could take several days off in a row, but one is good too. Anyhoo, back to the story, I live in a pretty suburban area so there is not much of a business crowd around here, but there were lots of business people in the store doing a little midday shopping. Weird. They can just take off and do whatever. Nice. I need that job. I do love being home while everyone else is suffering at their job, though. Yay me!

Oh What a Relief It is!

Part of my Summer Reading program is over tonight and the other will be done by 8:00 Saturday night. This has just about taken it all out of me. Send me positive thoughts for the next few days. Also, keep me in your thoughts after 8 on Saturday because I'm getting drunky-drunk.

The Knot. In the Pit. Of my Stomach.

I get this all the time. Something major or minor might go wrong and I will get this icky feeling in my stomach and I will worry over something for hours...and then it usually goes away. I've got that right now. Same ol' bs really, but it still makes enjoying my well earned weekend difficult. It's the Catholic in me, I believe. All that guilt the nuns instilled in me during my formative years. Strangely enough, I suffer from much more guilt now than I ever did when I was a child. I was terrible and without remorse. Now, I tend to agonize over something until it drives me bonkers. ugh. Happy Weekend...

P.S. I finished reading the 6th Harry Potter last night (just in time for the new one). I cried and I'm not sure I'm ready to read the last one. Anyone reading HP? No spoilers, please :)

It's tomorrow!

My big day (night) at work is tomorrow and I am pretty nervous. I have truly given up on a decent night's sleep and have surrendered to the fact that I am just too keyed up to relax. Wish me luck!