Grant me patience!

Today was a very stressful day. Between covering chat reference this morning (we are part of a cooperative and answer chat reference questions from public library patrons across the country), signing people up for tax appointments, and listening to loud annoying teenagers (I'm not saying ALL teenagers are loud and annoying, just the bunch that came in the library today), it was all I could do to keep from running out the door screaming. Tomorrow is another day.

Our weather hit the 50s today. I'm told it was nice out. Luckily the snow is just about melted. I want spring time.

Winter Weather

Ok. So I get up to go to work yesterday and watched the local news. The weather report for today was a wintry mix switching over to rain. Especially north and west of Washington D.C. I am south of DC. The impression I got was that it would be mostly rain. So I get woken up by a phone call at 9 AM this morning. Its my mother. She says that my nephew will be staying an extra day because of the weather outside. "Ok," I told her, "Its supposed to be just rain." And she said look outside. You are supposed to have gotten 3 inches of snow so far. So it snowed til after 12, and then switched to rain off and on for the rest of the afternoon. I think we were all taken by surprise.

So I spent the day reading and watching movies. I watched the first season of Wire in the Blood. It's a British mystery show about a police inspector and the psychologist who helps her solve murders. A little violent but really good. I also watched the movie Red Eye. That one was also good.

Right now I am reading Storm Front by Jim Butcher. Its the first in the Harry Dresden series about a wizard/detective in Chicago who gets called in to solve mysteries that involve the supernatural. It is now a show on the SciFi channel.

Stress

I need to know how to handle stress because I am not doing such a good job right now. There is always someone around. I can't get any peace at work or home and when I DO get a day off, I have to wait for idiot repair-people.

Billy Blanks Kicked my Butt

I have been trying new exercise routines lately. With Comcast's ExerciseTV on Demand I have been able to try new instructors and workouts before I buy them. I also get them at the library. Yesterday I did Billy Blanks's Bootcamp Workout. Exhausting! And it was only "Basic Training." I am SO out of shape.

My new washer has finally been delivered. My phone is still not working properly. Here in Virginia, we were hit with a sleet storm. So originally my washer was due to be delivered this past wednesday. Unfortunately, the sleet and below freezing temperatures took care of that.

And congrats to my 9 year old nephew. He just got his gold belt today! Its just above white belt, but he just started and worked hard for it. The school's name says karate, but it looks like they are teaching Tae Kwon Do.

When it rains it pours...

Why is it that when one appliance needs repair they all need it? Last week I had to get my car fixed. This week I had to buy a new washing machine. The cold water won't shut off in the washer, so last evening I went down to the basement to see a huge mess of water on the floor! Luckily we don't have carpet downstairs and we borrowed a shop vac from a neighbor. The washer is probably 10 years old and needs to be replaced, but I hoped to have it last a little longer. So today I went shopping for a washer.

In addition, my phone died. I can call out (although there is a LOT of noise on the line) but any calls coming in vanish into the great beyond!

Both the phone company and the washer people are coming wednesday afternoon. Ok. Now here is the real problem. We are supposed to have amajor winter event tonight and tomorrow. Unfortunately we are on the ice line (as usual). With my luck, I STILL won't have phone service or a washer on wednesday! The one bright side is that I have cable internet so at least I have some way of communicating!

I just finished a great book: The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly. David is a 12 year old boy who just lost his mother. His father has remarried, his new stepmother is expecting a baby, and they have all moved into his stepmothers ancestral home. In the middle of this turmoil, David begins to hear the books whisper amongst themselves. Then one night, an opening appears in a tree in the garden. And David finds himself in a strange new world. A world where fairy tales exist but are very different than the ones we have been told. A world where beasts roam and where David must use every bit of bravery he can muster to find his way home. This book was written for adults, but teens could definitely read it. The Young Adult Library Services Association recently gave the book an Alex award. This award is given to adult books that would be of interest to teens. The Book of Lost Things is an entertaining fantasy.

Taxes and customer service

Has anyone noticed that people seem nastier lately? I have had the rudest people in the library this week. If things don't go exactly their way, they demand to speak to the manager. Like the lady who put up a poster to advertise a meeting in the library. She put up 2. One was removed by us. We have very little wall space. She also put it up with packing tape. We aren't really supposed to use tape on the walls at all. When the situation was explained to her she demanded to speak to the branch manager (who just happened to be at a meeting). Then there are the people whodon't say thank you or anything after monopolizing my time to look up phone numbers. I don't mind looking it up. Its my job, but when there are a line of people behind you, at least says thanks! And the teenagers have been more wild than usual this week too. And just the other day my nephew said to me "don't people say excuse me anymore?" And he's 9! He understands better than some adults!

And I absolutely hate tax time at the library. The tax volunteers who are there 3 times a week are very nice. But I am SO tired of explaining that the appointments are all taken for the next two weeks. Call back on Monday morning and we will start with appointments for the week of the 20th. And trying to explain why the state of Virginia decided not to send forms to libraries this year. No, we weren't happy either. I'm sorry you have to drive to pick them up. You can find them online. Oh, you don't have a computer. etc. etc. etc.

On the bright side, I just finished Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. This came highly recommended by Carolyn. I'll have a review soon. It's a great book and pulled me right in.

Happiness versus money

You know, you can have a job that lets you make tons of money, but if you are not happy there, then you might as well be poor. My sister (hereafter known as DS) is a day care assistant. She is good at it and she likes it, but she does not make much money. She just got a call from the public school system about a part-time paraprofessional job opening. And all she got from her S.O. and our mom was not to get her hopes up. Her S.O. wants her to get a job at the post office. D.S. would be miserable at the post office. She has a realistic view about her finances. Why can't people realize that sometimes a job is not just about the money? Even if she cannot take the job, its worth it to call and interview and GET HER NAME OUT THERE! I am finished venting. I am frustrated for her. FYI-I was excited for her.

Good News

First for Harry Potter fans: the publication of book 7, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, has been announced. It will be released on July 21, 2007. I have already pre-ordered my copy from Amazon.com!

My car is not as bad as I thought. It needed new spark plugs and wires. It should be ready tomorrow.