It's the last 15 minutes of my last shift on my last day of working for Multnomah County Library.
It's been 9 years, 1 month and 22 days. The longest job I've ever had. Since November 9, 1998.
I feel a bit sad and a lot ready to move on. I am so very excited for my new adventure!
Monday, December 31, 2007
My first few months in Omaha
(or, how not to be lonely)
I've lived alone before and loved it. In fact, I lived alone for almost five years before Ry and I moved in together 4-5 years ago. There are wonderful bits about both. I love the solitude, the quiet, the independence of living alone but I also love the comfort and non-loneliness of living with someone.
I will be alone for the first few months I'm in Omaha. Living alone with no friends. It will be important for me to find things to do. Ry's mom gave me the book Veganomicon for the holidays--a beautiful guide to cooking vegan food. I'm thinking of trying to cook every recipe in the book, a la The French Laundry at Home blog or Julie and Julia by Julie Powell. I've always wanted to work my way through a cookbook and this seems like a perfect opportunity. There's a Whole Foods about 6 miles from my apartment and I can mail order anything I can't get in town.
I'm also thinking that I can post pictures here for you all to see. Funny how I have to go to the Midwest to do something that would be super easy to do here in Portland.
I've lived alone before and loved it. In fact, I lived alone for almost five years before Ry and I moved in together 4-5 years ago. There are wonderful bits about both. I love the solitude, the quiet, the independence of living alone but I also love the comfort and non-loneliness of living with someone.
I will be alone for the first few months I'm in Omaha. Living alone with no friends. It will be important for me to find things to do. Ry's mom gave me the book Veganomicon for the holidays--a beautiful guide to cooking vegan food. I'm thinking of trying to cook every recipe in the book, a la The French Laundry at Home blog or Julie and Julia by Julie Powell. I've always wanted to work my way through a cookbook and this seems like a perfect opportunity. There's a Whole Foods about 6 miles from my apartment and I can mail order anything I can't get in town.
I'm also thinking that I can post pictures here for you all to see. Funny how I have to go to the Midwest to do something that would be super easy to do here in Portland.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
My new favorite discovery!
A patron came into looking for a book on how to build a secret compartment into furniture. Not an easy thing to find. Along with the wonderful reference librarians at the Central Library, I was able to find the subject heading 'hiding places -- design and construction' but this was mostly about building a secret room.
And then someone mentioned the 'How to Do it Index'. Amazing! This clunky old directory has listings of articles on a million different how-to subjects. The list I found was under 'hidden compartments' and gave the patron about 10 articles. It's only a citation but it was the only thing we were able to find and it was perfect.
I will definately be using this index again
And then someone mentioned the 'How to Do it Index'. Amazing! This clunky old directory has listings of articles on a million different how-to subjects. The list I found was under 'hidden compartments' and gave the patron about 10 articles. It's only a citation but it was the only thing we were able to find and it was perfect.
I will definately be using this index again
review of Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward
You may recall that I am trying to read outside of my comfort zone for my new job. I want to develop my fiction reportoire. I decided to do this on a whim and just grabbed some books off the shelf.
The first book I read is Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward. I thought it was just fantasy but it really turned out to be vampire romance. Lover Revealed is the fourth book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, a series that revolves around a group of super strong vampires whose mission is to find and destroy the lessers, a group of vampire slayers. The lessers are souless, heartless beings who smell like baby powder.
At first, I was annoyed because the book had the one thing that has always turned me off about fantasy: a glossary of words. It's hard enough for me to remember character names, let alone a bunch of new words for old things. I did manage to get over myself but it was still a pain to have to keep flipping to the glossary.
I was surprised at how fetishy the book was. I felt like I was reading the Clan of the Cave Bear series by Jean Auel. It was very 'throbbing member' and 'parting the soft petals of her flower' type of sex. I really haven't read anything like it in a very long time and forgot how funny it can be. Porn-light is a good word for it. It was also very interesting to delve into a world where people romanticize vampires. The vampire men were very manly and honor-bound and the women were beautiful, strong and perfect. It felt like I was looking into the author's secret dream of how she wishes the world would be.
All in all, it was a quick and fairly pleasurable read. I don't think it fulfills my fantasy requirement because it is so sexual. I need another, better fantasy. Any ideas?
The first book I read is Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward. I thought it was just fantasy but it really turned out to be vampire romance. Lover Revealed is the fourth book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, a series that revolves around a group of super strong vampires whose mission is to find and destroy the lessers, a group of vampire slayers. The lessers are souless, heartless beings who smell like baby powder.
At first, I was annoyed because the book had the one thing that has always turned me off about fantasy: a glossary of words. It's hard enough for me to remember character names, let alone a bunch of new words for old things. I did manage to get over myself but it was still a pain to have to keep flipping to the glossary.
I was surprised at how fetishy the book was. I felt like I was reading the Clan of the Cave Bear series by Jean Auel. It was very 'throbbing member' and 'parting the soft petals of her flower' type of sex. I really haven't read anything like it in a very long time and forgot how funny it can be. Porn-light is a good word for it. It was also very interesting to delve into a world where people romanticize vampires. The vampire men were very manly and honor-bound and the women were beautiful, strong and perfect. It felt like I was looking into the author's secret dream of how she wishes the world would be.
All in all, it was a quick and fairly pleasurable read. I don't think it fulfills my fantasy requirement because it is so sexual. I need another, better fantasy. Any ideas?
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Love letter to U.S. libraries
It's very slow here on the reference desk (6:45 pm, day after Christmas) and I'm working my way through the November 1, 2007 issue of Library Journal. I usually have to force myself to read LJ but this article almost made me cry.
A Librarian from Denmark walks across the United States.
A Librarian from Denmark walks across the United States.
Are we buying too much?
This isn't a post about consumerism and holiday spending. Instead, it's a post about how much money (including staff time, marketing, etc) a library should spend on new innovations.
My soon to be ex-employer, Multnomah County Library has recently purchased a new product called MyLibraryDV. It's downloadable software that allows the patron to watch movies and television shows for free. Primarily, it has programs from public television: Julia Child, America's Test Kitchen, GlobeTrekker, Rick Steves. The movies are old (Angel & the Badman with John Wayne) or independents (Marion Bridge). They promise to add more content soon.
I have no idea how much this new service is costing the library, but I'm sure it can't be cheap.
I'm using it. I watched a GlobeTrekker episode about Mexico City before I went to Mexico. I worked up a sweat in my kitchen last week to a kickboxing video. I plan to watch shows and movies in Omaha because I won't have a television. I do wonder, however, if this is something my public library should be spending money on. It seems to me that there are three major issues:
1. The digital divide. I'm really not sure how divided the divide truly is. Computers are pretty inexpensive these days and I know plenty of kids from poor families who have one. But I wonder how fast the computers can possibly be and how good of a connection they have? The MyLibraryDV software requires a broadband connection and one gigabyte of memory. That's no problem for my wonderful laptop, but I only have nice technology because I have a tech boyfriend. I am able to play with the software at home and figure it out.
And that leads me to.....
What about the staff/patron digital divide? More and more staff here are part-time and may not have the money for a nice computer with a fast connection. Because it's downloadable software, it cannot be loaded onto a library computer and staff doesn't have practice time.
But I'm not sure that matters, because....
2. The overload of "new" stuff at the library. In this world of Library 2.0, I believe there is one thing everyone is overlooking. If we don't tell people about our wonderful products, they won't know they are there. For example, MCL recently purchased an amazing new database called the Gale Virutal Reference Library. I love it because it has full-text of hundreds of reference books. It's great for a small branch that doesn't have a lot of shelf space. MCL had tranings for all reference staff and upper management made a very big deal of it.
How was it marketed to the public? Not at all. There was a tiny link on the library's main page for about a month.
Why do we spend so much money (and I know this one was expensive) on something and then not tell the public about it? We focus so much advertising, money and energy on special events (like Keep Portland Weird) but virtually nothing on our basic services. Don't get me wrong, I love special programming. It brings in the big numbers and can help with good library PR. But for lasting love between the library and the public, they have to see us as necessary.
Helping people find information is necessary and maybe we need to focus more on our basic services. (this is something I want to talk about more in depth later)
And my last issue.....
3. Who is using MyLibraryDV? Well, me. But I don't really need it. I have at my house (in no particular order): Tivo, iTunes, Playstation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, Netflix (3 at a time), DirecTV, 2 laptops, high-speed internet (with Youtube and Google video), Library DVDs and a boyfriend who knows how to steal any show or movie I want to watch. Is it worth the library spending so much money on software people don't need? What exactly are our intentions with this?
I say, give the public tools that they need and not just toys that make us look good. I went into this rant not having an opinion about MyLibraryDV but now I think it's a waste of money.
My soon to be ex-employer, Multnomah County Library has recently purchased a new product called MyLibraryDV. It's downloadable software that allows the patron to watch movies and television shows for free. Primarily, it has programs from public television: Julia Child, America's Test Kitchen, GlobeTrekker, Rick Steves. The movies are old (Angel & the Badman with John Wayne) or independents (Marion Bridge). They promise to add more content soon.
I have no idea how much this new service is costing the library, but I'm sure it can't be cheap.
I'm using it. I watched a GlobeTrekker episode about Mexico City before I went to Mexico. I worked up a sweat in my kitchen last week to a kickboxing video. I plan to watch shows and movies in Omaha because I won't have a television. I do wonder, however, if this is something my public library should be spending money on. It seems to me that there are three major issues:
1. The digital divide. I'm really not sure how divided the divide truly is. Computers are pretty inexpensive these days and I know plenty of kids from poor families who have one. But I wonder how fast the computers can possibly be and how good of a connection they have? The MyLibraryDV software requires a broadband connection and one gigabyte of memory. That's no problem for my wonderful laptop, but I only have nice technology because I have a tech boyfriend. I am able to play with the software at home and figure it out.
And that leads me to.....
What about the staff/patron digital divide? More and more staff here are part-time and may not have the money for a nice computer with a fast connection. Because it's downloadable software, it cannot be loaded onto a library computer and staff doesn't have practice time.
But I'm not sure that matters, because....
2. The overload of "new" stuff at the library. In this world of Library 2.0, I believe there is one thing everyone is overlooking. If we don't tell people about our wonderful products, they won't know they are there. For example, MCL recently purchased an amazing new database called the Gale Virutal Reference Library. I love it because it has full-text of hundreds of reference books. It's great for a small branch that doesn't have a lot of shelf space. MCL had tranings for all reference staff and upper management made a very big deal of it.
How was it marketed to the public? Not at all. There was a tiny link on the library's main page for about a month.
Why do we spend so much money (and I know this one was expensive) on something and then not tell the public about it? We focus so much advertising, money and energy on special events (like Keep Portland Weird) but virtually nothing on our basic services. Don't get me wrong, I love special programming. It brings in the big numbers and can help with good library PR. But for lasting love between the library and the public, they have to see us as necessary.
Helping people find information is necessary and maybe we need to focus more on our basic services. (this is something I want to talk about more in depth later)
And my last issue.....
3. Who is using MyLibraryDV? Well, me. But I don't really need it. I have at my house (in no particular order): Tivo, iTunes, Playstation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, Netflix (3 at a time), DirecTV, 2 laptops, high-speed internet (with Youtube and Google video), Library DVDs and a boyfriend who knows how to steal any show or movie I want to watch. Is it worth the library spending so much money on software people don't need? What exactly are our intentions with this?
I say, give the public tools that they need and not just toys that make us look good. I went into this rant not having an opinion about MyLibraryDV but now I think it's a waste of money.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Two more titles
This will be the last post of the day, I swear. I've checked out two more titles:
Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward (fantasy)
The Second Mrs. Darcy by Elizabeth Aston (general fiction. Omaha Public Library hosts a Jane Austen tea, so this seems like a good one to read)
Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward (fantasy)
The Second Mrs. Darcy by Elizabeth Aston (general fiction. Omaha Public Library hosts a Jane Austen tea, so this seems like a good one to read)
More book talk
Ok, I've grabbed two books to read. Two books that are way out of my normal reading range.
Not the End of the World by Kate Atkinson (short stories)
Proof Positive by Phillip Margolin (mystery)
I've been lax about updating my LibraryThing account but I will try to be better as I read books to add to my reader's advisory list.
Not the End of the World by Kate Atkinson (short stories)
Proof Positive by Phillip Margolin (mystery)
I've been lax about updating my LibraryThing account but I will try to be better as I read books to add to my reader's advisory list.
How do you figure out what to read?
I have been working in youth services at Multnomah County Library for the past nine years. I adore working with kids but I've been attracted to working in adult services. I've become interested marketing, the future of libraries and attracting a entire generation of adults without children.
Omaha is giving me the opportunity to do this. Thank you, Omaha!
The thing is that I've spent the past decade reading lots of children's books. Send a kid to me and I can probably recommend a book they will like. Adult books are another story. On my own time, I tend to read non-fiction and thrillers. I went through a chick lit phase a few years ago but I haven't kept up with it.
So what should I read? I'm trying to put together a list of adult fiction that will give me a good list of recommendations. I'd like the books to be old enough to not have a hold list but new enough to be interesting. The genres I'm thinking of are: science fiction, fantasy, mystery, general fiction, romance, graphic novel and historical fiction.
Please comment if you have recommendations.
Omaha is giving me the opportunity to do this. Thank you, Omaha!
The thing is that I've spent the past decade reading lots of children's books. Send a kid to me and I can probably recommend a book they will like. Adult books are another story. On my own time, I tend to read non-fiction and thrillers. I went through a chick lit phase a few years ago but I haven't kept up with it.
So what should I read? I'm trying to put together a list of adult fiction that will give me a good list of recommendations. I'd like the books to be old enough to not have a hold list but new enough to be interesting. The genres I'm thinking of are: science fiction, fantasy, mystery, general fiction, romance, graphic novel and historical fiction.
Please comment if you have recommendations.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Have you ever?
Have you ever moved half-way across the country, to a city you've never been to, in the midwest, in the middle of January?
Have you ever done all these things and tried to find a place to live before you got there?
Have you ever done all of this with 3 cats, a dog and a rat?
I'm a little anxious.
(by the way, my thoughts are with my friend Kecia. It will be ok or it won't. But you're one of the toughest women I've ever met.
Have you ever done all these things and tried to find a place to live before you got there?
Have you ever done all of this with 3 cats, a dog and a rat?
I'm a little anxious.
(by the way, my thoughts are with my friend Kecia. It will be ok or it won't. But you're one of the toughest women I've ever met.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Le Shoppenboy
A French department store has hired men of all sizes to try on clothes for you. How often have you tried shopping for a man who is a bit bigger and not be able to remember his size? All you have to do at this store is pick the guy who's the same size as your guy and he'll try clothes on for you.
Article here
Now this is great marketing. The men are all volunteers so it's no cost to the store and they are extremely popular. Watch the video and notice how much business these guys are bringing in.
Not sure how this could translate to libraries. Maybe we have volunteers help patrons with readers advisory. Who would you rather have recommend a fantasy book? Me, who has to use an online database, or the volunteer who reads 3 fantasy books a week? He could dress up like Gandalf.
This might work better in a bookstore, though.
Article here
Now this is great marketing. The men are all volunteers so it's no cost to the store and they are extremely popular. Watch the video and notice how much business these guys are bringing in.
Not sure how this could translate to libraries. Maybe we have volunteers help patrons with readers advisory. Who would you rather have recommend a fantasy book? Me, who has to use an online database, or the volunteer who reads 3 fantasy books a week? He could dress up like Gandalf.
This might work better in a bookstore, though.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Professional Woes (but feeling better!)
I've had a hard professional life the last few years. I don't feel comfortable putting it all out here but suffice it to say that I have had to leave the library where I thought I was going to retire. I had to leave because there were *no* opportunities for advancement. I waited three years after getting my MLS for any kind of opportunity but it never came.
I've spent three years feeling very bitter. So it was nice to read Meredith Farkas' blog post about her lack of advancement opportunity. I feel a little less alone now.
It's long but there was one section that rang true for me:
"I’m one of those people who needs to feel useful and encouraged. When I do, I will put everything into my work. A colleague suggested that if I could make myself not care as much about my work maybe I could be happy staying. I can’t do that. What’s the next step after that? Taking sick days when I’m not sick? Not doing my best to help students at the reference desk? Just shrugging when I see negative comments on a student satisfaction survey? No one would be served by that. There have been times when I’ve been so excited about a project that I came to work on the weekend or worked at home on it during the evening. I don’t want to not have that enthusiasm for my work. I just want to come to work knowing that I’m doing my best work and that my work is valued."
Amen. Where is the motivation for anyone to do a good job without excitement, positive reinforcement and loyalty? Multnomah County Library , in the interest of it's stellar national reputation, taking away opportunities for internal promotion.
What's the point of being loyal to you if you will not be loyal to me?
I've spent three years feeling very bitter. So it was nice to read Meredith Farkas' blog post about her lack of advancement opportunity. I feel a little less alone now.
It's long but there was one section that rang true for me:
"I’m one of those people who needs to feel useful and encouraged. When I do, I will put everything into my work. A colleague suggested that if I could make myself not care as much about my work maybe I could be happy staying. I can’t do that. What’s the next step after that? Taking sick days when I’m not sick? Not doing my best to help students at the reference desk? Just shrugging when I see negative comments on a student satisfaction survey? No one would be served by that. There have been times when I’ve been so excited about a project that I came to work on the weekend or worked at home on it during the evening. I don’t want to not have that enthusiasm for my work. I just want to come to work knowing that I’m doing my best work and that my work is valued."
Amen. Where is the motivation for anyone to do a good job without excitement, positive reinforcement and loyalty? Multnomah County Library , in the interest of it's stellar national reputation, taking away opportunities for internal promotion.
What's the point of being loyal to you if you will not be loyal to me?
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Pageflake
When I turn on mozilla, the first thing I see is my google home page. Weather, slashfood, gmail and more. I have a personalized start page and I love it.
A library in Dublin has signed up for a Pageflake page that will allow patrons to design a personal library page. What would I have on my page?
1. catalog search
2. rss feed list (my current library has rss feeds for new material)
3. announcements
4. my account with hold and check out lists
The Dublin library
What would you have on your personalized library page?
A library in Dublin has signed up for a Pageflake page that will allow patrons to design a personal library page. What would I have on my page?
1. catalog search
2. rss feed list (my current library has rss feeds for new material)
3. announcements
4. my account with hold and check out lists
The Dublin library
What would you have on your personalized library page?
WW Weekly Update
I lost .6 this week. Not bad, considering that I spent last week eating my heart out in Mexico.
I'm up to an even 15 lbs. lost.
I'm up to an even 15 lbs. lost.
Sweeping the Clouds Away
I didn't watch much television growing up but I did watch Sesame Street. I remember when Mr. Hooper died. He must have been my first experience with death, although I remember the death in Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson very well too.
According to this NY Times article, PBS has released the DVDs of the first season of Sesame Street with a warning. They say it's for adults only. Apparently, Cookie Monster is gluttonous and Oscar the Grouch is too mean.
Ridiculous. Shouldn't we expose our kids to the truths of the world? I don't know about you but I see mean and gluttonous people every day. Sesame Street taught us to accept people for who they are and love them anyway. Now media is scrubbed clean until they don't resemble humanity at all.
Read the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/magazine/18wwln-medium-t.html?_r=1
And if you have time and desire, read Buy Buy Baby by Susan Gregory Thomas. A fascinating book about how companies market to young children. It's a timely release, right on the heels of a study that shows that Baby Einstein does more harm then good.
I hope to write more about marketing and libraries later. I don't always think it's such a bad thing.
According to this NY Times article, PBS has released the DVDs of the first season of Sesame Street with a warning. They say it's for adults only. Apparently, Cookie Monster is gluttonous and Oscar the Grouch is too mean.
Ridiculous. Shouldn't we expose our kids to the truths of the world? I don't know about you but I see mean and gluttonous people every day. Sesame Street taught us to accept people for who they are and love them anyway. Now media is scrubbed clean until they don't resemble humanity at all.
Read the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/magazine/18wwln-medium-t.html?_r=1
And if you have time and desire, read Buy Buy Baby by Susan Gregory Thomas. A fascinating book about how companies market to young children. It's a timely release, right on the heels of a study that shows that Baby Einstein does more harm then good.
I hope to write more about marketing and libraries later. I don't always think it's such a bad thing.
What Happened to Creativity in Children's Media?
I saw The Golden Compass movie today. I love love love the Phillip Pullman books, for their beauty, creativity and strong social message. I'll admit I did not have high hopes for the movie because (as everyone knows) the book is usually better than the movie. But I wanted to see it, because I never indulge in a movie and to at least give it a chance.
It wasn't awful but it wasn't great either. The CGI and special effects were amazing and the setting was beautiful. Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman were fine, Sam Elliott was endearing but I was disappointed with the girl who played Lyra. She didn't have the acting depth to pull off such a deep and introspective character. The daemon were wonderful, although slightly computer animated-looking. Better than using real animals, I suppose.
The thing I've been thinking about since last night is how the television and film industries have almost completely given up on producing original children's media. Last night I saw a preview for a miniseries of Pictures of Hollis Woods, by Patricia Reilly Giff. And the previews before the movie today? Horton Hears a Who (Dr. Seuss), Inkheart (Cornelia Funke), The Water Horse (Dick King-Smith), Speed Racer (1960s Japanese animated series), Alvin and the Chipmunks (awful 80s animated series), Spiderwick Chronicles (Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black).
And what else has been released in the last couple of years?
Bridge to Terabithia (Katherine Paterson). So horrible I couldn't get past the first 20 minutes. I realize this might have something to do with my emotional attachment to the book but I thought they tried to turn it into another fantasy movie. The book is not fantasy, it is about imagination. There's a big difference between Harry Potter, who *is* a wizard and the kids in Bridge to Terabithia who *imagine* that they've found a magic place.
Eragon (Christopher Paolini). Haven't seen it but loved the book.
Cat in the Hat (Dr. Seuss).
Curious George (Margaret and H.A. Rey)
Charlotte's Web (E.B. White)
Babe (Dick King-Smith)
Dark is Rising (Susan Fletcher)
Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling). The beast that started it all.
Shoot, Amazon even has a section of movies adapted from kid's books.
And don't even get me started on all the adult movies that are adapted from books: Love in the Time of Cholera, Into the Wild, Beowulf.
Don't get me wrong. There are some great kid's movies being made. Ratatouille comes to mind. But I find myself disappointed in Hollywood. The success of Harry Potter has shown that kid's still like to read, especially if given the right books. Like adults, kids want to read for pleasure. The industry should be able to figure out a way to appeal to kids through books and media while still maintaining a sense of moving the industry forward and continuing to push creative boundaries. I accept that they care about profit. But merely recycling variations on Harry Potter and expecting kid's to be interested in them forever is naive, not good marketing and lazy.
I grew up in LA. I know that there are plenty of talented and creative people waiting to break into the business. Maybe they don't know everything about writing a blockbuster movie but great success comes from great risk. Perhaps if $180 million wasn't spent on The Golden Compass, five or more original movies could have been made.
Personally, I'm tired of magic. I'm tired of the bastardization of quality children's books. Move on.
(and yes, it really cost $180 million. http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Movies/12/09/boxoffice.ap/)
It wasn't awful but it wasn't great either. The CGI and special effects were amazing and the setting was beautiful. Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman were fine, Sam Elliott was endearing but I was disappointed with the girl who played Lyra. She didn't have the acting depth to pull off such a deep and introspective character. The daemon were wonderful, although slightly computer animated-looking. Better than using real animals, I suppose.
The thing I've been thinking about since last night is how the television and film industries have almost completely given up on producing original children's media. Last night I saw a preview for a miniseries of Pictures of Hollis Woods, by Patricia Reilly Giff. And the previews before the movie today? Horton Hears a Who (Dr. Seuss), Inkheart (Cornelia Funke), The Water Horse (Dick King-Smith), Speed Racer (1960s Japanese animated series), Alvin and the Chipmunks (awful 80s animated series), Spiderwick Chronicles (Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black).
And what else has been released in the last couple of years?
Bridge to Terabithia (Katherine Paterson). So horrible I couldn't get past the first 20 minutes. I realize this might have something to do with my emotional attachment to the book but I thought they tried to turn it into another fantasy movie. The book is not fantasy, it is about imagination. There's a big difference between Harry Potter, who *is* a wizard and the kids in Bridge to Terabithia who *imagine* that they've found a magic place.
Eragon (Christopher Paolini). Haven't seen it but loved the book.
Cat in the Hat (Dr. Seuss).
Curious George (Margaret and H.A. Rey)
Charlotte's Web (E.B. White)
Babe (Dick King-Smith)
Dark is Rising (Susan Fletcher)
Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling). The beast that started it all.
Shoot, Amazon even has a section of movies adapted from kid's books.
And don't even get me started on all the adult movies that are adapted from books: Love in the Time of Cholera, Into the Wild, Beowulf.
Don't get me wrong. There are some great kid's movies being made. Ratatouille comes to mind. But I find myself disappointed in Hollywood. The success of Harry Potter has shown that kid's still like to read, especially if given the right books. Like adults, kids want to read for pleasure. The industry should be able to figure out a way to appeal to kids through books and media while still maintaining a sense of moving the industry forward and continuing to push creative boundaries. I accept that they care about profit. But merely recycling variations on Harry Potter and expecting kid's to be interested in them forever is naive, not good marketing and lazy.
I grew up in LA. I know that there are plenty of talented and creative people waiting to break into the business. Maybe they don't know everything about writing a blockbuster movie but great success comes from great risk. Perhaps if $180 million wasn't spent on The Golden Compass, five or more original movies could have been made.
Personally, I'm tired of magic. I'm tired of the bastardization of quality children's books. Move on.
(and yes, it really cost $180 million. http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Movies/12/09/boxoffice.ap/)
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Weight Watchers
My boyfriend and I are on Weight Watchers. And while it's a good thing and I'm very happy we're doing it, this is an especially difficult time of year for it. I don't care about Thanksgiving food or Christmas or Hanukkah. It's winter and baking that is so hard.
I love to bake. Cookies, mostly. I love to bake for other people, especially the boyfriend.
And I can't do it at all. I can't have it in my house and the WW I'm on doesn't allow for baked goods at all.
It's hard to watch food tv, read about baking books out in time for the holidays or read food blogs. Being healthy sucks.
I love to bake. Cookies, mostly. I love to bake for other people, especially the boyfriend.
And I can't do it at all. I can't have it in my house and the WW I'm on doesn't allow for baked goods at all.
It's hard to watch food tv, read about baking books out in time for the holidays or read food blogs. Being healthy sucks.
What to do while unemployed?
I've never really been unemployed. I've had jobs since I graduated from college, the last for nine years. And although I have a job waiting for me in two months, I am still emotionally unemployed. Sort of. I don't have the stresses that most unemployed people have--the money woes or feelings of hopelessness. I'm lucky for that. What I do have is a lot of time and a huge move coming up.
I'm the type of person who doesn't sit still very well. I feel like I should be cleaning or cooking. I feel guilty that my boyfriend is working and supporting us. I feel guilty when I sit around reading (an odd feeling for a librarian). I am not enjoying my time, like I feel I should be.
Hence this blog. I want to believe that if I set some realistic goals here I will be obligated to fulfill them. There are things I have wanted to do for awhile and keep putting off.
There are two main categories I want to read. For a long time I have wanted to work my way through literature classics. I attended a very diverse high school and while we read wonderful classics from around the world (like "Things Fall Apart") and "multicultural" American classics ("Black Boy"), I feel like I'm missing some crucial knowledge. I was even an English major in college and I feel like this. I read "1984" for the first time a few summers ago and it felt like it filled some cultural holes. How can I use the phrase "Catch-22" if I've never read the book?
The other thing I want to do is read every Newbery and Caldecott book. As someone who has worked in youth services for nine years, it feels a bit shameful that I haven't read them all.
So how to decide?
Not sure. But tomorrow my plan is to go see two movies in the theater: The Golden Compass (because the book was fabulous) and Enchanted. And yes, I will only pay for one. Sorry if that offends you.
I'm the type of person who doesn't sit still very well. I feel like I should be cleaning or cooking. I feel guilty that my boyfriend is working and supporting us. I feel guilty when I sit around reading (an odd feeling for a librarian). I am not enjoying my time, like I feel I should be.
Hence this blog. I want to believe that if I set some realistic goals here I will be obligated to fulfill them. There are things I have wanted to do for awhile and keep putting off.
There are two main categories I want to read. For a long time I have wanted to work my way through literature classics. I attended a very diverse high school and while we read wonderful classics from around the world (like "Things Fall Apart") and "multicultural" American classics ("Black Boy"), I feel like I'm missing some crucial knowledge. I was even an English major in college and I feel like this. I read "1984" for the first time a few summers ago and it felt like it filled some cultural holes. How can I use the phrase "Catch-22" if I've never read the book?
The other thing I want to do is read every Newbery and Caldecott book. As someone who has worked in youth services for nine years, it feels a bit shameful that I haven't read them all.
So how to decide?
Not sure. But tomorrow my plan is to go see two movies in the theater: The Golden Compass (because the book was fabulous) and Enchanted. And yes, I will only pay for one. Sorry if that offends you.
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