Ms. Neck Fat and her sidekick, Ms. Death by Cuddles

There's been a proper amount of puppy cuddles going on here due to the cold and snow and ice.  Josie is sweet and rambunctious and a queen manipulator.  Her way of giving affection borders on assault.  Her favorite human is Rachel and she likes to watch Madam Secretary when she's calm.  She also loves to play ball.

Margo is a bit of a jerk with knowing, piercing stares.  She likes to carefully rip all the fuzz from tennis balls and leave the destruction everywhere.  She's faster with the commands than Josie and doesn't have a favorite human at the moment.  Sometimes she looks at us as if she's saying, "I'm not sure I understand you or like you enough to try."  She is, surprisingly, a cuddly thing who calmly leans against our legs and takes all the petting she can get.  She appears to like Jeopardy and enjoys watching it reflected in the window rather than on the screen.

They both love walks, having their teeth brushed, and mutilating toys when they're not lying on their backs making out with them.  Rachel also insists that they like her music, which is punk and screaming metal so I have my doubts but do not wish to risk my hearing to find out.  

This is Josie with Rachel, and yes we were watching Madam Secretary.

I believe this is Margo with Robert, but I'm not sure.  How they look at us is one way to tell them apart.  Their faces and stares are entirely different.  Margo has enough neck fat to cover at least two heads (she inherited the famous waddle from my side of the family), crooked lower teeth, and a white splotch on her tail.

In this next picture, Rachel was with Josie and Ella was my cuddle buddy (she's usually my cuddle buddy of choice).  Ella is looking at me as if to say, "look at what I have to put up with."

This next picture is how Rachel and Josie like to cuddle.  They both like to maul and suffocate whoever they're cuddling.  I'm sure this is one of the reasons they are each other's favorite.

you never know what you're going to find on the library shelves

Between puppies and storytime preparation, I have had little time for anything else.  Ok, and some mandatory burrowing into blankets and reading.

Today, while manning the desk, I was having a grand time typing up a book review while listening to a few toddlers happily chatter and sing in our play area.

Suddenly an entire row of DVDs on a bottom shelf crashed onto the floor.  I looked around.  No one was in sight.  I stood up to investigate, and as I walked over to the DVDs, I heard some muffled giggling.  That's when I spotted the toddler tucked into the shelf behind the DVDs.

I complimented her on finding the perfect space that was exactly her size and asked why she was hiding.  She responded by staring at me while quietly giggling.

As I put the DVDs away, she grew bold and whispered, "I'm hiding from mommy."  I wasn't too concerned because there were a few adults, including her mom, chatting in the next row and I felt pretty confident her mom knew where she was.  But no matter. I decided to play along.  I asked her how she thought her mom was going to find her since she was so perfectly hidden, and she looked me dead in the eye, and with a volume I haven't heard in awhile, screamed, "Hey mommy, I'm hiding from you!"

next week's versus wall - compact disc or floppy disk?

Currently we have two "Versus Walls" at my branch, which are on carpeted walls, one in the play area for younger kids and another in the teen area for older kids.  Kids can write down their versus ideas on a slip of paper and put it in a pretty jar on our desk (for example, ketchup vs. mustard).  Once a week a teen volunteer picks out their favorite idea from the jar, changes out the question from last week and adds images of their choosing for the new question.  Kids can vote for their question by using emojis that have velcro attached to the back. Whichever wins (mustard for example), gets to stay on the wall with a sign that reads, "last week's winner."  This is a very popular thing at my branch and was created years ago by a super smart person who is no longer here (I actually have her job now).

Today two little boys were writing down their ideas for the versus wall while their grandma helped them spell the words.  When one of the boys finished writing his question, he began to draw a picture that correlated to his question (hot dogs with cheese inside vs. hot dogs with marshmallows inside).  The grandma stopped him and told him that they'll add the pictures later.  The little boy asked where they found the images, and grandma responded by telling him we get them from a disc.  The little boy looked very confused so grandma went on to say that we insert a disc into the computer and pick out the clipart from the disc.  

The two little boys and I exchanged a look, and though they were young, I think they totally understood that we couldn't rain on grandma's parade because they just nodded and moved on to the next question.

Interestingly enough, we don't even have a disc drive anymore.  If patrons want to open something on a disc, we have an external drive they can borrow.  We do, however, receive donations of discs with programs and clip art on them, so if we really wanted to, we could borrow that external drive and find some antiquated clipart. 

10 Years of Gratitude Journaling Part 1

In 2009 I found a special journal at one of my favorite bookstores, Antigone, which is in Tucson, AZ.  

At the time, I had no idea the impact the small, orange gratitude journal would have on my life.  Since May 19, 2009, I have not only journaled nearly every day's positive moments, I also started reading the previous year's highlights once I had a year completed.  Both writing the day's positive moments and reliving highlights from previous years has been an extraordinary, uplifting experience.  Gratitude journaling also awakened my love of journaling.  Since 2012 I started journals about bicycling, work, daily haikus, zen doodling, and a handful of others.  Each of these journals has a zero negativity policy unless it's hilarious.  I also find snippets of poetry here and there in these journals and have even published a few things that began as journaling!   

To celebrate my tenth year of gratitude journaling, I will post a favorite journal entry each month.

It was incredibly tough to choose just 12 moments.  These past ten years have been amazing. 

Here is the journal that started it all:

The first entry I'm going to share with you happened less than a month after I began journaling, 6/27/09, and is drawn by my oldest niece, Izzy, who is now in high school!  I gave her my journal to color in, and this is the artwork she created:

December Reads Part 2

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos (Juvenile Fiction)

I laughed the entire way through Jack and Miss Volker's adventures as they wrote one obituary after another. With morbid humor, outrageous characters, a wild but strangely believable story, and at least seven books worth of similes and metaphors, I highly recommend this. The moment I knew I was going to love this book happened only twenty-four pages in.  Jack thinks Miss Volker is melting down her hands like gold, only she's really just doing a wax treatment for her arthritis. His reaction is priceless and I believe this moment lays the foundation for their unique and hilarious friendship. I began the Norvelt series (there are two books!) by reading the book but switched to audio at some point. The audiobook is read by the author and definitely adds to the charm of the story, so if you can, choose the audiobook! You will find yourself saying "cheeze-us-crust" whenever you have a freak-out moment, and at the same time you say it, you'll hear Jack Gantos saying it too.

I Love You More Than... by Taye Diggs and Shane Evans (Picture Book)

Though the language is a bit choppy, it's sincere and conversational. The illustrations are brilliant, which is no surprise because they're by Shane Evans. It's the type of art that made me flip to the copyright page to see how the heck he created it. It turns out the illustrations include a little bit of everything and, according to the copyright page, they're also made with love. Though I think all the illustrations are fabulous, the sneaker pages send my heart into orbit and are my favorites. This is definitely a contender for a love/Valentine's Day storytime.

Food52 Baking by the Editors of Food52 (Adult Nonfiction)

This includes one of the most moist yellow cake recipes I've ever had. My family didn't think the chocolate icing was that great, but it didn't matter because the cake was excellent. The overnight orange rolls are also pretty darn amazing as long as you have time to make the dough the night before and can wait an hour and a half while they rise once more after being made in the morning. 

this our hymn of grateful praise

If I were to describe my favorite music from 2018 in five words, I would choose uplifting, quirky, introspective, spiritual, and sweet. 2018's list includes a soundtrack I really connected with, one album I checked out from the library on a whim due to its strange name, and as always, a handful of artists I loved prior to this year.  Unlike other years, there is very little rap and wacky stuff. I didn't connect with most of the rap albums released in 2018. They were too serious or monotonous, and a couple favorites of mine even sounded tired. Likewise, a few of my go-to wacky artists who usually produce wild and interesting sounds, sounded too serious and flat, or were trying too hard.  I will refrain from mentioning names, as I understand artists express who they are at the moment their album is made, and if they're feeling like a stick in the mud at that moment, then it's totally understandable when their album sounds like that.

Overall, it is my belief that Christian artists kicked some serious butt this past year. Never have I had so many Christian artists in my top twenty. Because of this, 2018 is a very happy list. 

Here is my top ten list of 2018 albums (and a few 2017 albums I was unable to get my hands on until after the first of the year). Enjoy!

10. Rend Collective - Good News (favorite song - Counting Every Blessing)
9. The Shack Soundtrack (favorite song - Amazing Grace by for KING & COUNTRY)
8. Vance Joy - Nation of Two (favorite song - Take Your Time)
7. Brandi Carlile - By the Way, I Forgive You (favorite song - Every Time I Hear That Song) 
6. Josh Ritter - Gathering (favorite song - Train Go By)

5. Alt-J - Reduxer

This album punched me in the face (in the best way possible). Alt-J didn't need to remix his songs. They are brilliant on their own.  But he did it.  And it's bizarre and beautiful.  He collaborates with artists I haven't heard of, and they complement each other well.  House of the Rising Sun sounds like a rap lullaby of a family devastated by alcohol. The words are harsh and poetic but the rhythm is soothing and soft and feels like a couple clocks getting together to create some music. The first time I heard it I cried. It feels like I'm reading an entire book in a little under five minutes. The song, Pleader, spotlights the rapper, Sin Suela, and honestly it's just not enough. I'm ready for him to put out an entire album.  I haven't figured out what's going on in the song, but each time I listen to it, I throw 100% of myself into it in the hopes I will finally figure out what the heck is going on.  At about 3:35 minutes in, some kind of magical trap music, video game-sounding, robot hoedown thing happens, and it always makes me light up like a 1000 watt lightbulb made entirely out of incandescent joy. 

4. Lauren Daigle - Look Up Child



Lauren Daigle's voice is soulful, rich, and playful. Her growth as an artist and person is evident on this album, which is always special to witness.  The first time I listened to this album, I wondered if her next album may step away from her religious roots. But after a few more listens, I'm not so sure.  Look Up Child sounds a bit more spiritual than her last album, How Can It Be, which had firm religious roots.  She sounds like she's figuring out who she is and her relationship with both her God and her faith.  Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus is my favorite song.  Hymns are one of my favorite types of music, and I especially love hearing different variations of them.  Lauren Daigle's version is both pop and jazz, and also reminiscent of Lauryn Hill.   

3. Rainbow Kitten Surprise - How to Friend, Love, Freefall



When I saw this at the library I didn't hesitate. I immediately checked it out and played it in my car.  I was curious - what is a rainbow kitten and isn't the word, 'surprise' redundant?  I mean, I feel like I would be totally surprised if I saw a rainbow kitten. So yes, this band has my new favorite name, and as for their music?  Well, it feels a little like sitting in the middle of a room filled with rainbow kittens. Magical, blissful, trippy, and kinda raucous. They remind me a little of Modest Mouse, but they are definitely their own band.  They're soulful, weird, quirky, and fun.  There's harmony, but there's also mumbling and guitar trash-talking. I love Possom Queen, because it taps into that special place in my heart where Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers live.  Now you understand why there's always pep in my walk!  It's because I've built a house for Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, who spend their days tapping away the rhythm of my steps.  Possom Queen plays with the song, Let's Call the Whole Thing Off.  You know the song I'm  talking about - "You like potato, I like potahto" with the trumpet acting sassy in the background?  There's also the song, Holy War, with its gentle and and perfectly placed, "Kaboom," which follows a helicopter noise that doesn't overstay its welcome.  It's Called: Freefall has some surprising harmony and Fever Pitch is the perfect song for when you're home alone and want to dance like a weirdo. "Let it simmer. Let it simmer. Simmer down please."  It's such a perfect album. More importantly, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are thrilled to have some rainbow kittens to share their afterlives with.

2. Andy Grammer - The Good Parts



This was my go-to happy album this year.  If you are looking for a slice of super-sweet pop pie, this is the perfect album.  Fresh Eyes is a love song about seeing someone for the first time every time (totally and wonderfully gag-worthy) - "you dress up just a little and I'm like, 'oooooh, damn.'" Naturally, it's my favorite song on the album.  It's a great album to dance to, and while it's not necessarily thought-provoking, life-changing, or unique, it's pure ear candy and I had it playing in the background for much of the year.

1. Sara Groves - Abide With Me



There are three things I ask from a Sara Groves' album.  Her voice must stand out, her tunes need to be simple and soft, and the presence of the piano must cling to her voice and words like a shadow. Her last few albums have been pretty loud and have strayed away from the simplicity I so hugely admire in her work.  The Sara Groves on Abide With Me is the Sara Groves I fell in love with on Conversations and All Right Here.  She even sings a song from Conversations, He's Always Been Faithful.  Though it's different and her voice is stronger on Conversations, I love it just as much because it's just so gosh darn cool to hear the same song sung by my favorite artist several years later. Yes, Sara Groves is my favorite artist, and has been since 2004 when her album, Conversations, was given to me by a tennis buddy. I lived in Springfield, Missouri at the time, which is where Sara Groves went to college.  My tennis buddy told me to pay attention to certain songs and lyrics, and they were the exact lyrics I needed to hear at that point in my life.  We all have our spiritual journeys, and listening to Conversations helped turn what was a rather confusing, frustrating, and negative journey into one that felt more comfortable.  Sara Groves gives each hymn sung on Abide With Me her full attention and inner beauty, which lights them up and makes them magical.  These hymns are also recorded in a 110-year-old church, so I'm sure this also has something to do with the magic.  

Here is my favorite song from 2018:

Sara Groves - For the Beauty of the Earth

December Reads

Surprisingly, December was a great month for reading. It felt like I was constantly dashing around like a caffeinated cheetah the whole month, so I'm shocked I have a double post. It helps that I spent the Christmas holiday walking the dogs (listening to an audiobook) and baking/cooking (cookbooks).

Enjoy!

Bea at Ballet by Rachel Isadora (picture book)

I cannot get enough of Isadora's illustrations. They're happy, bright, and perfectly capture the joy and excitement of little ones. I love the drawings of both Bea's and Sam's outfits, how the pianist has an earring/gauge, the simplicity of how the five positions are portrayed, and the attention to detail (barrettes in the hair, patterns on the clothes). Plus there's a bit of humor and self-acceptance in this book. This book may be small, but it's full of treasure and beauty.

I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maureen Goo (Teen Fiction)

Goo's writing style is hilarious, refreshing, and accessible. Luca is incredibly sweet, almost too sweet, and Desi is nerdy but doesn't have a lot of real-life skills. They're pretty funny together, and though a couple of Desi's "K Drama Steps to True Love" are flagrantly dumb and lacking any kind of judgement whatsoever, the two of them are likable because of how they interact with each other. I thought the best friends, Wes and Fiona, and Desi's dad were a lot more interesting than Desi, and I would have liked to hear more about them. The story itself is interesting. A part of me wondered early on about Desi and Wes, and also about the attraction between Desi and Luca. Desi's K drama clouds the relationship's credibility just as much as it clouds their actual relationship. Though I have mixed feelings about the characters and certain aspects of the story, I have decided I wholeheartedly applaud this book because the writing is excellent and Desi's slip back into playing games towards the end is actually a little endearing. Why? Because we're human and the flaws we struggle with don't just go away because we recognize we have them. Bravo to Goo for shining a light on something so darn tricky. I will leave you with one of my favorite moments. It happens right after Luca has dinner with Desi and her dad. Luca is both impressed by and jealous of Desi's relationship with her father. "'You and your dad...It's killer to witness...' 'What do you mean?' I asked...'That kind of relationship. The way you guys are. I've never seen anyone like that with their parents.' He was complimentary but there was something sad hanging on the edges of his words, as if this nice thing highlighted the crappy thing in his own life."

Good Cheap Eats in 30 Minutes (Or Less!) (Adult Nonfiction)

The title doesn't lie! My favorite thing about this book is how simple and easy the recipes are. I'm sure there are many, many people out there who knew about baking rice versus cooking it on the cooktop, I was not one of them before reading this book. Though this book has some great recipes (my family hasn't tried them all...yet), it will always be known as the book that introduced me to baked rice. The cashew chicken is currently my family's favorite recipe from this book.