Treo trouble, update

Well, today my Treo got worse. I notice I had a voice mail on the phone and I tried to retrieve it. The phone refused to keep a signal for any longer than 10 seconds. It would dial, connect, and by second #10, I'd get "Network Searching" and it would drop the call. I got home and figured out how to get into my cell's VM from my home phone. Luckily, the message was from the Sprint Store telling me my new phone was in!

Got the new phone home, hooked it up to the computer, clicked the sync button, and a few minutes later my new phone was just like my own phone. No loss of data, no need to even reinstall any software or reset customizations. This unit rocks!

Internet librarian 2004

It's official! I'm speaking at the conference. Conference info can be found via the button on the left.

RNC platform

Having a bad day? Want to make it worse? Read the RNC platform. (.pdf via MSNBC)

Koontz update

Here's a photo of the limited edition of The Taking.

Teach me not to take a screenshot

When I first read this MSNBC article, the headline claimed that "the Web" is turning 35. It has since been fixed.

However, with some quick thinking I took a look at the back button's history and I can at least prove that the title of the page was "Web turns 35…"

Be afraid. be very afraid.

Shift #4 on the reference desk and I just recommended a YA novel to a seventh grader. I figured that since I am the Cheese was the only YA novel I ever read (other than The Chronicles of Narnia) more than once it'd be a good choice. (He's already read The Outsiders so I figured the Narnia book wasn't what he was looking for.)

Fuhgeddaboutit!

Al Fanken wants you to join him in the Great American Shout Out on Sepember 2nd at aproximately 10pm EDT. Think of it as a nationwide non-violent protest to the nomination of Bush for a second term.

Treo trouble

Yesterday I noticed that the screen on my Treo had developed a small orange blotch. This morning, it was a little bigger. Obviously something with the LCD had gone wrong. So, I found the box and the paperwork and headed back to Best Buy since I'd purchased the extended warranty that would get me a replacement Treo.

I arrived at Best Buy and got into the customer service line. While waiting I saw a sign that informed me that as of a week ago, cell phone problems would no longer be handled in the store and that I had to call the store's 888 number. I continued to wait in line so I could ask for more details. It seems that since the company's been "loosing millions of dollars" on cell phones that all repairs were now handled through corporate and that I'd have to send in my phone and they'd send a replacement. This is not what I wanted to hear. I paid for the in-store replacement and since this is not just a cell phone, but also my PDA, I hardly wanted to be without out it for days or even potentially weeks. They were "sorry" but they couldn't give me a time frame since "it will depend on the vendor". So, I headed off to handle some other errands.

When I got back home I called Best Buy's 888 number and was immediately informed that they were "experiencing an unusually high volume of calls" (surprise!) and was placed on hold for 50 minutes. When I was able to speak to a human, at first they couldn't find the information about the plan I had purchased and put me on hold again. Five minutes later I was informed that my phone was still under the manufacturer's warranty (Sprint) and that I would need to talk to them. "Can I take it into the Sprint person in the store?" I asked. "Yes" was the response. So, back to the store.

Once in the store I found the sprint person and explained the problem. She said she couldn't help since she was just a sales rep and that I needed to call Sprint about it. "Do you have the number I can call?" "No, but you can also go to a Sprint store. There's one down the road." Off to the Sprint store.

At the Sprint store I explain my problem yet again and I'm told that there is no tech on duty today. He won't be in again until Tuesday. "The store in Cherry Creek has a tech on duty today though." Off to Cherry Creek, 15 miles away.

I get to the Cherry Creek Sprint store and wait in line for 20 minutes. I get to speak to a person and explain my problem yet again. Without even talking to a tech (who, by the way, was not in the store but "should have been,") I hear the following magic words: "Oh, no problem. We'll replace it for you. I'll order one for you now and we'll have it in a few days. We'll call you when it comes in and then you can swap your old one for a new one."

A solution so simple should not take four hours to accomplish.

Koontz update

Waiting for me (on my front porch which made me somewhat nervous) was a box with my copy of the Charnel House Limited Edition of Koontz's The Taking. I got #25 of 300. It's a beautiful edition bound in Japanese Neon-Tsumugi silk in a slipcase of Purple Mohair. It will be added to the bib this weekend.

Photos

My photos from Silver Falls State Park in OR are now avialable. In one pic (without the falls) you can see how hard it was raining.)

Quilt

My mom's finished her latest quilt, this one for my brother and Lisa. Seem that it also won a prize in a quilt show. Go mom!

Home from oregon

Though here's one thing I'll miss: Oregon has no sales tax. That's something you don't notice until you buy a single item and you're charged the price listed.

May you live in interesting times

It's been an interesting day. I woke up planning on heading out to Silver Falls State Park for a six-mile hike that takes you past 10 waterfalls and even behind one of them. Trouble was, it was pouring outside. I considered my other option which was to head 60-miles to the Oregon coast (the opposite direction) to find the Suislaw Public Library in Florence, OR which houses the Frank Herbert Collection. So, I headed for a Starbucks in Eugene to wait out the rain. After having my caramel machiato, stopping by a used bookstore (bought nothing) and The Cat's Meow, a Jazz & Blues CD store (bought a copy of Chet Baker's last concert) the rain had stopped so I opted for the park. Got to the park and guess what, it started raining again. After some prompting from a good friend via txt messaging, I decided to go for it. I ended up doing the 2-mile look under the South Falls. (Pictures available when I get back home.) I got soaked. So soaked in fact, that I changed into other clothes in my car.

I ended up in Salem about four hours earlier than planned and figured out when I got to my hotel that I'd left my dress pants in the Eugene hotel. Off to Target for new pants goes Michael.

Dinner @ Kwans was good. Garlic muscles & rice.

After dinner I found the best little coffee shop I've ever been in. The Coffee Shop Cafe in downtown Salem. If you're ever in town, stop by. The ambiance is just difficult to describe. Lots of different types of people, not just a particular crowd as in many coffee shops. There was even a small group of four guys playing some live music. Spoons, guitar, violin, and mandolin. An interesting group to say the least. One guy was a large and heavily bearded biker type. Another, ska in bowling shoes. The third, punk, with leopard print hair. And the fourth in jeans and a t-shirt. What were they playing, traditional/bluegrass in the vein on Nickel Creek. I had to stay around for a second Latté just to hear their second set.

Eugene, OR

Stopped by the relatively new public library this evening. A few photos from my Treo are available.

New article

I'm writing an article (in fact I'm not writing it right now, I'm writing this as a short delaying tactic) on patron privacy on public access PCs for WebJunction. This'll be my third article for them and the one they originally requested of me. I'll be turning it in tomorrow and of course will post a link once it's up.

Mecca for bibliophiles

Well, it rained all afternoon but that just made it perfect weather to spend this afternoon in Powell's. What can I say beyond big and fun. For those of you not familiar with Powell's, it's the largest independent bookstore in the country (pretty much takes up a whole city block in Portland, OR) and they interfile their new and used books. I stuck to my plan and didn't spend more than $100. (I only kept within that limit by about $1.50.) Funny part is, the larger proportion of what I spent wasn't for me.

The coolest book I got for myself. Well, it's a Dean Koontz title of course. Lágrimas Do Dragão. I leave it to you to figure out the language and the English title.

The most expensive book, one for Laura: Grammaire Basque. Yes, a book on Basque grammar for $38.50. Trade paperback no less. (She didn't want the Quechua-Castiliano paperback dictionary for $68. Go figure.) It was written by am member of De L'académie de Langue Basque so I'm assuming this is an authorative work.

Later in the day, I got a call from my folks on the cell. "Hey, where are you." My answer of "On I-5 about 30 miles North of Eugene, OR" wasn't exactly what they expected. Welcome to my world.

Take the long way home

Turned out to be an interesting afternoon. ON my way out to lunch with my friend Barbara I pressed the button to lower the rear driver's-side window in my car. (A button which I don't believe has been pressed in years.) The window went down but I heard an awful thunk. Well, Barbara followed me to the Saturn dealership and it turned out that yes, the window was broken. In fact, you could now raise and lower it with your hand. I left the car and Barbara drove me home. I then figured that I'd use this as an excuse to get back on my bike and drop some books off at the Tattered Cover for a signing I'll be missing next week. Distance: six miles by city streets. Finishing that errand I decided to take some trails back home. Distance: 15 miles. Near home, I got the call that my car was ready so I just continued on my bike to pick it up. The total cost of the repair, $315+tax. Ouch!

Don't doesn't work

My opinion piece on Internet access policies in public libraries titled "Don't Doesn't Work" is now up on WebJunciton.

Speaker of the House

I may not agree with his politics but I respect the office. I got to meet Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert this morning. (Of course, I was the only non-conservative Republican in the line. Then again, there were only about a dozen people who showed up to get his autograph and there were more protesters than that outside.)

REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE CONVENTION SCHEDULE

New York, NY
6:00 PM Opening Prayer led by the Reverend Jerry Falwell
6:30 PM Pledge of Allegiance
6:35 PM Ceremonial Burning of Bill of Rights (excluding 2nd Amendment)
6:45 PM Salute to the Coalition of the Willing
6:46 PM Seminar #1: Katherine Harris on "Are Elections Really Necessary?"
7:30 PM Announcement: Lincoln Memorial Renamed for Ronald Reagan
7:35 PM Trent Lott - "Re-segregation in the 21st Century"
7:40 PM EPA Address #1: Mercury: It's What's for Dinner
8:00 PM Vote on which country to invade next
8:10 PM Call EMTs to revive Rush Limbaugh
8:15 PM John Ashcroft Lecture: The Homos Are After Your Children
8:30 PM Round table discussion on reproductive rights (men only)
8:50 PM Seminar #2: Corporations: The Government of the Future
9:00 PM Condi Rice sings "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man"
9:05 PM Phyllis Schlafly speaks on "Why Women Shouldn't Be Leaders"
9:10 PM EPA Address #2: Trees: The Real Cause of Forest Fires
9:30 PM break for secret meetings
10:00 PM Second Prayer led by Cal Thomas
10:15 PM Carl Rove Lecture: Doublespeak Made Simple
10:30 PM Rumsfeld Lecture/Demonstration: How to Squint and Talk Macho Even When You Feel Squishy Inside
10:35 PM Bush demonstration of trademark "deer in headlights" stare
10:40 PM John Ashcroft Demonstration: New Mandatory Kevlar Chastity Belt
10:45 PM GOP's Tribute to Tokenism, featuring Colin Powell & Condi Rice
10:46 PM Ann Coulter's Tribute to "Joe McCarthy, American Patriot"
10:50 PM Seminar #3: Education: A Drain on Our Nation's Economy
11:10 PM Hilary Clinton Piñata
11:20 PM John Ashcroft Lecture: Evolutionists: A Dangerous New Cult
11:30 PM Call EMTs to revive Rush Limbaugh again
11:35 PM Blame Clinton
11:40 PM Newt Gingrich speaks on "The Sanctity of Marriage"
11:41 PM Announcement: Ronald Reagan to be added to Mt.Rushmore
11:50 PM Closing Prayer led by Jesus Himself
12:00 PM Nomination of George W. Bush as Holy Supreme Planetary Overlord

Thanks Laura!

It's not on my Amazon.com wish list

Note: This post contains a not so subtle hint:
My birthday is in a little over a month. If someone's looking to get me one of the coolest gifts I've ever received, might I suggest a single share of Google stock. Hey, I missed out on Netscape (and so did my dad completely against my advice) and I'd love to have a framed Google stock certificate on my office wall.

Gmail

O.k. I've got a Gmail account. I'm not sure if I'm happy about it of just interested, therefore I'm not clear on if I'll actually use it or not. That being said, if you want to send e-mail to that account you're on your own when it comes to figuring out what my address is. (If you spend about 30 seconds thinking about it, you'll figure it out.)

"That's our buyer's remorse policy"

I should have blogged this last night but I was so excited about the whole thing I just didn't think of it. I bought a ticked from United yesterday and when I went to put the information into my calendar a few hours later I discovered that I'd bought a ticket for PM instead of AM. Willing to suck up the $100 change fee I promptly called United to change the ticket. "No problem," I heard, "Since it's been less than 24 hours, there's no charge to change the ticket." This completely made my day. I've been flying regularly for seven years and I've never heard of this policy. "Yeah, we're the only ones who do that. We call it our buyer's remorse policy." This might just make up for United's new check-in system. Well, for the next flight anyway.

Two more reasons to despise best buy

As someone who once bought a CD-RW drive and found trash in the box, implying that item had been previously opened and returned, I can relate to this suit against the chain by the Ohio Attorney General.

While searching for more information on that case (unsuccessfully) I found another that also involves Microsoft in which by receiving one of the free MSN trial CDs at a Best Buy, the store was automatically sending your credit card information (the one used for the purchase of actual merchandise) to Microsoft who would then automatically start charging you for MSN whether or not you ever used the free CD.

An article that gets it right!

The article Making a Web Search Feel Like a Stroll in the Library from the NYTimes instantly got my attention with the second paragraph:

"However convenient it may be to search the Web from home or a dorm room, the Internet cannot replace many of the built-in benefits of the library, like browsing the stacks for related information that could add spark and depth to an essay or a report."

P2P not illegal

In an actually intelligent ruling today "the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the suppliers of the free peer-to-peer software, unlike Napster, were not liable for illegally swapped music and movies online because they don't have central servers where computer users can access copyrighted material."

No-fly list

Seems that Homeland Security and TSA are on top of things. How could they not be when a member of Congress gets put on the no-fly list. It only took him three weeks to get his named removed.

Ad-less

Hey, anyone else notice that the ads have disappeared from the top of the page? That's a new Blogger feature called the Navbar. I had nothing to do with it but I'm not complaining. Looks there are some color options too.

More bunnies

The folks at AngryAlien have just released Jaws in 30 seconds re-enacted with Bunnies.

A romantic comedy, with zombies

I saw the trailer for Shaun of the Dead when I went to see AVP this past weekend. It opens the day after my birthday! I'm catching this one opening weekend. That is, if my house guest doesn't mind attending with me...

I'm a librarian so I must be...

...a leftist, Commie, anti-Semite that supports terrorists, wishes that the state of Israel didn't exist and wants the neighborhood kids to look at porn. Oh wait, my ALA membership has expired. Guess not.

SP2 article update

I've revised and updated my article on installing service pack 2 based upon a third installation. It has now also been officially "published" on WebJunction. The old version will be disappearing shortly.

I found something to do with that head

There's a head on my desk. I finally found a use for it.

XY reference

Here's something I forgot to mention about yesterday's reference desk experience; all three librarians working the desk for a full four-hour shift were men. And to think, the world didn't come to an end.

Granted, I was in grad school…

…but where was all this partying when I was at Albany?

I know it's a repeat but…

When the road gets dark
And you can no longer see
Just let my love throw a spark
And have a little faith in me
And when the tears you cry
Are all you can believe
Just give these loving arms a try
And have a little faith in me

Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me

And when your secret heart
Cannot speak so easily
Come here darling, from a whisper start
And have a little faith in me
And when your back’s against the wall
Just turn around and you, you will see
I will catch you, I will catch your fall
Just have a little faith in me

Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me

‘Cause I’ve been loving you, for such a long, long time
Expecting nothing in return
Just for you to have a little faith in me
You see time, time is our friend
‘Cause for us, there is no end
And all you gotta do, is have a little faith in me
I will hold you up, I will hold you up
And your love, gives me strength enough to
Have a little faith in me
Hey hey
All you gotta do for me girl
Is have a little faith in me

— John Hiatt, Have a Little Faith in Me

The big g is not always right

While working shift #3 at the reference desk today Ander and I discovered that maybe Google isn't as good as a spell-checker as we previously thought. For example, search on the misspelled "fushia" and is asks "Did you mean: fuschia". Trouble is, the correct spelling is "fuchsia".

WindowsXP sp2 installation update

I just finished installing sp2 on a third computer, the one in my office. I took better notes and noticed some differences, mainly since this one is connected to a Windows domain. I'll be updating my report this evening.

1/3 ain't bad

I counted and I've read 33 out of Phobos' "100 Science Fiction Books You Just Have to Read"

A tale of two installs

O.k. I've done two installs and I've written a report of my experience and the results including screenshots. For those wanting the punchline without reading the article: both installs went off without a single problem and I love the new features.

Technology: anything invented after you were born

Today's Boondocks cartoon reminded me of this past Christmas. Remember when you were a kid and once the opening of presents on Christmas morning was over usually mom and/or dad had to put together at least oneof your toys for you? Well, this past Christmas, once all of the presents were opened, I spent part of the afternoon putting together my parent's new toys. (My dad got a CD-RW drive and my mom got a "magic box" that allowed the computer to read the cards for her sewing machine.)

Service pack 2

Since this is my first full, two-day weekend in six weeks I managed to do everything I needed to do today. That leaves me with tomorrow and nothing on my to-do list. So, what do I come up with, installing WindowsXP Service Pack 2 on both my laptop and desktop. Since the laptop is a tablet and sp2 gives me way cool new features, that's the first to go under the knife.

For those wondering how I'm pulling this off without waiting for the "automatic update" feature of Windows to do this for me, you can download the 272.391MB version on the Windows XP Service Pack 2 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers page. The only difference between this one and the auto version is that the auto version only downloads the files you need for your system. This download includes everything, but only installs the files you need. So, if you're on dial-up, this is not the version you want.

I'll report on the success or failure of the installs later.

German link

It seems that someone in Germany has found my Library Card Collection interesting enough to mention it. According to Babel Fish this is what it says in English. (I love the translation of 'library card' as 'library documents of identification'.

"We had of course times, but the collection the library documents of identification of Michael Sauers always grows noch… The document of identification of the local library pleases me actually completely well, anyhow better, than most Germans, which I saw up to now. Coincidentally does someone have still a few examples of pretty German documents of identification?"

Happy Friday the 13^th

According to MSNBC the following has all happened on this day...

• Benjamin Franklin writes “Everything appears to promise that it will last; but in this world nothing is certain but death and taxes” on Friday, Nov. 13, 1789.
• One of America’s most loathsome historical figures, Confederate general/slave trader/Grand Wizard Nathan Bedford Forrest, is born on Friday, July 13, 1821.
• Anthony Foss, for reasons known only to himself, patents the accordion on Friday, Jan. 13, 1854.
• Tennessee passes a law making it illegal to teach evolution on Friday, March 13, 1925.
• Spielplatz, generally considered the first nudist colony, opens in Bricket Wood, England, on Friday, June 13, 1930. Please be seated. No really — please.
• German bombs damage Buckingham Palace on Friday, Sept. 13, 1940. Annoying pixieish actress Didi Conn is born on Friday, July 13, 1951. A huge south Asian storm is estimated to kill 300,000 people in Chittagong, Bangladesh, and create floods that kill as many as 1 million in the Ganges delta on Friday, Nov. 13, 1970.
• Howard Stern begins broadcasting on WRNW in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., on Friday, May 13, 1977.
• “Friday the 13th” opens Friday, June 13, 1980.
• Yeah, him, the other Beatle — also known as Ringo Starr — releases “Wrack My Brain” on Friday, Nov. 13, 1981. It does not chart.
• The Olsen twins are born on Friday, June 13, 1986.
• The Friday the 13th virus afflicts IBM computers across in Britain on Friday, Jan. 13, 1989. At the time, this is considered a Big Deal.

Hiking oregon

Those of you that have looked at the photos from my recent Oregon trip will know that I climbed up to the top of Multnomah Falls. It's a hard climb up 1070 feet in just one mile. Doing the math, that's about a 18% grade the whole way. Next week I'm looking into the 6.9-mile loop hike in Silver Falls State Park. This one actually takes you through a cave behind the falls. (.pdf map) I won't forget water this time. I promise.

Web design book update

Well, I emailed my publisher and mostly held my ground. My point is that I believe the two reviewers so far are looking at it from a techie point-of-view and from that angle the book is all wrong. My belief is that the book is written for the non-techie and therefore spot on. I've sent the ms out to one trusted individual and have asked another to review it with this in mind. I trust these people to tell it to me straight and they will. Based on their opinions I'll decided on whether to make the edits requested or hold my ground and possibly kill the project.

Blogging & rss book announcement

On a much happier note, Information Today has agreed to publish a book on blogging and RSS to be written by your's truly. The working title is Blogging and RSS: A Librarian's Primer. It's due January 25, 2005. I do plan on including interviews with "leading library bloggers" so if you think you might fit into that category you may just be hearing from me in the next few weeks.

Something about Oregon i forgot to mention…

All gas stations in Oregon are full-serve. I wasn't even allowed to pump my own gas.

Web design book update

It may be back to the drawing board for this book. Neal-Schuman's not happy. Some of the reasons I understand, some don't make a lot of sense to me based upon the hundreds of librarians I've spoken to in the past few months. I've been given a few options on how to proceed including dumping the project altogether. Considering my life and schedule in the immediate future, my gut reaction is to bail but I don't think I'll feel good about that decision in the long run. I'll be talking to NS either in the next few days or early next week. More as it becomes available.

AVP Update

Two new clips from Alien Vs. Predator are now available. This Saturday, 1:30pm, I'm there!

The good photos

Those interested in the better (i.e. non-Treo) photos from this week's trip across Oregon may view them via Ofoto.
No, I don't know why I got up at 4:30am this morning...

Koontz book update

Still no word from Dean. In the mean time, my recent trip to Oregon and the smaller of the two main Powell's bookstores found me purchasing a trade hardcover copy of Again Dangerous Visions edited by Harlan Ellison which contains Dean's story "A Mouse in the Walls of the Global Village". (It's a second printing but signed by Ellison so it was worth the $24.95 I paid for it.) I also found a first printing of the Berkley paperback edition of The Vision. (My previous earliest copy of this edition was a 5th printing.)

Tablet tales

On Friday my nine DU students turned in their case studies in Word format. I had intended to use Word's insert comments feature to make my notes on their papers and return the graded papers without ever needing to print them out. Yesterday it hit me that my TabletPC was made jsut for this. This morning on the flights from Denver to SF to Portland I took out my laptop and proceeded to grade the papers with red pen, completely electronically. Now when I send the graded papers back to my students they'll receive their papers complete with my handwritten comments, completely digitally, no dead trees required. Way cool!

Power corrupts - powerpoint corrupts absolutely

While waiting in the security lain this morning at DIA (after dealing with the cluster fu*k that is now United's checkin system,) we were subjected to a PowerPoint presentation on full digital, high definition, 50" wide screens. The message of this presentation? It was encouraging all of us to "practice IN-OUT-OFF". There are too many things I can say here but my first thought was there were way too many people in line I did not want to see practice this. My second thought was that as a single traveler I felt left out of the whole procedure.

Official in the eyes of the church

The last time I got something 'official' from the Catholic Church it was the certificate for my first communion. It now seems that two years after my divorce the Diocese of Jefferson City (Missouri) will be sending me a 'nullity decree' which 'says that our marriage was not done according to Catholic law, and therefore doesn't count as a Catholic marriage.' Ah, it's so wonderful to hear from the ex after so long a silence.

Actual patron comments

These are real, unscripted, unedited comments from patrons to a public library. I'll let them speak for themselves... (There's just too many things I could say.)

You need to take better care of matterial on cd's: a) cleaner, b) an archive with ability to store cd's in separated media area, c) ability to provide repairs to cd data (non-profit copies so not typically violate copywrites: make a backup copy with which to replace damaged or lost cds) & catalogue copies in archive.

It would help if your hours were published on the website.

I ask for help and lady says time in the web site you want. I did and its keeps going back to the home page. I ask for help again and I not getting it. I am pissed that their taalone themselves and not helping the guest.

The audio section in this library is aweful. I am amazed that nothing has been done since the last time I was here several months ago. The selection is decent and has grown, thank you. The labeling and ticketing is beyond common sense. Most of the labels cover titles making it nearlyu impossible to see a title until you pull it off the shelf, and then there are labels directly over the titles on the front! This entire section desperately needs revamping.

I think that the service is great, but I don't think that you should keep books that were from years and years ago. Please check on that! Other than that service is excellent!! What I mean by years is ago is that books that were checked out when you were in the 1, 2 or 3 grade and now your in the 6th!

New article

It's official. I'll be contributing an article about "Patron Privacy" software for public access computers to WebJunction. I don't have a deadline yet but I'm going to try to get it done over the next week or two just so it's not hanging over my head. (It's not like I've got a 400 page ms to edit or anything.)

More b5

In case the whole five seasons weren't enough, the Babylon 5 movie collection is coming out later this month.

Spam

Here's a spam subject line I received today. I'm not sure they mean it the way I'm reading it. Really, why would someone want to loan me a Christian and what would I do with one of my own, even at a great interest rate?

Christian Lenders - No Cost & No Obligation Quote

I never talk to strangers

stop me if you've heard this one
i feel as though we've met before
perhaps i'm mistaken
but it's just that i remind you
of someone you used to care about
but that was long ago
do you think i'd fall for that
i wasn't born yesterday
besides i never talk to strangers anyway
i ain't a bad guy when you get to know me
i just thought there ain't no harm
hey just try minding your own business
bud who asked you to annoy me
with your sad repartee
besides i never talk to strangers anyway
your life's a dimestore novel
this town is full of guys just like me
and you're looking for someone to take the place of her
and you're bitter cause he left you
that's why you're drinkin in this bar
well only suckers fall in love
with perfect strangers
it always takes one to know one stranger
maybe we're just wiser now
and been around the block so many times
that we don't notice
that we're all just perfect strangers
as long as we ignore
that we all begin as strangers
just before we find
we really aren't strangers anymore

— Tom Waits

Proof that genius and madness are not that far apart

"Good. Item seven. The had had and that that problem. Lady Cavendish, weren't you working on this?"

Lady Cavendish stood up and gathered her thoughts. "Indeed. The uses of had had and that that have to be strictly controlled; they can interrupt the imaginotransference quite dramatically, causing readers to go back over the sentence in confusion, something we try to avoid."

"Go on."

"It's mostly an unlicensed-usage problem. At the last count David Copperfield alone had had had had sixty-three times, all but ten unapproved. Pilgrim's Progress may also be a problem due to its had had/that that ratio."

"So what's the problem in Progress?"

That that had that that ten times but had had had had only thrice. Increased had had usage had had to be overlooked, but not if the number exceeds that that that usage."

Hmm," said the Bellman, "I thought had had had had TGC's approval for use in Dickens? What's the problem?"

"Take the first had had and that that in the book by way of example," explained Lady Cavendish. "You would have thought that that first had had had had good occasion to be seen as had, had you not? Had had had approval but had had had not; equally it is true to say that that that that had had approval but that that other that that had not."

"So the problem with that other that that was that...?"

"That that other-other that that had had approval."

"okay," said the Bellman, whose head was in danger of falling apart like a chocolate orange, "let me get this straight: David Copperfield, unlike Pilgrim's Progress, had had had, had had had had. Had had had had TGC's approval?"

There was a very long pause

"Right," said the Bellman with a sign, "that's it for the moment. I'll be giving out assignments in ten minutes. Session's over—and let's be careful out there."

— Jasper Fforde, The Well of Lost Plots

Things are happening...

There are things that are suddenly happening in my life that may cause me to make some pretty serious decisions in the near future. I'm not ready to say to much in public let but it makes me think of these lyrics:

I'm not a coward,
I've just never been tested.
I'd like to think that if I was I would pass.
Look at the tested,
and think there but for the grace go I.
Might be a coward,
I'm afraid of what I might find out.
— The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Impression That I Get

61,028

My score on my one and only attempt at this game. Number 71706 has completely different significance.

An interesting take on ebooks

"[eBooks are] like sex in high school. Everyone stands around waiting for everyone else to do it so it's okay to do it because everyone is doing it. If somebody had just done it, we could have all been getting laid."
— Micah Burch, Marketing Director, Vertical, Inc. in the article "Feature Creep: 500 Books in Your Gadget Bag"

One Thing

Restless tonight,
'Cause I wasted the light.
Between both these times,
I drew a really thin line.
It's nothing I planned,
And nothing I can.
But you should be mine,
Across that line.

If I traded it all,
If I gave it all away for one thing.
Just for one thing.
If I sorted it out,
If I knew all about this one thing,
Wouldn't that be something?

I promise I might,
Not walk on by.
Maybe next time,
But not this time.
Even though I know,
I don't wanna know.
Yeah I guess I know,
I just hate how it sounds.

If I traded it all,
If I gave it all away for one thing.
Just for one thing.
If I sorted it out,
If I knew all about this one thing,
Wouldn't that be something?

Even though I know,
I don't wanna know.
Yeah I guess I know,
I just hate how it sounds.

If I traded it all,
If I gave it all away for one thing.
Just for one thing.
If I sorted it out,
If I knew all about this one thing,
Wouldn't that be something?

— Finger 11

Coming up

I've been asked by the Colorado Council of Medical Librarians to do a workshop in the Spring and the folks over at WebJunction.org have asked me to do an article on systems librarianship in small libraries. Neither are definite yet but the requests have been made.

My speaking at Internet Librarian is looking better by the minute. As soon as I have final approval from my director I'll post here.

One from back home

Here's a case study from Microsoft on how TabletPCs are being used at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID).

New bond

Yep, seems that Pierce Brosnan has left the franchise there are several guys on the short list as his replacement. It took me till the last one listed to find a choice I'd accept.

Michael moore on dick cheney

"...seems like a decent guy. He’s got a gay daughter," So, hey that’s good, you know? You gotta give him credit for that, for raising a lesbian. I mean, I've never raised a lesbian. I’d love to raise a lesbian. So God bless him for that!"
— on Hardball with Chris Matthews

Mt. rainier photos

For those interested I've posted all 106 photos from my Mt. Rainier trip.

Mt. rainier photos

For those interested, I've posted all 106 photos from my trip to Mt. Rainier on the ofoto service. No registration is required to view them.

Reference desk, shift #2

Well, today was my second four-hour shift on a public library reference desk. I had to deal with fewer computer-related requests but that was still the bulk of work. Two noted patrons; one who was the spitting image of an ex of mine from 13 years ago and a young teen girl in a black t-shirt that announced, in large pink letters, "I KISSED ASHTON." She of course walked away from the printer with a small stack of printed pictures of Mr. Kutcher, at least one shirtless. Does she realize that he's dating a woman old enough to be her grandmother?

UPDATE: Oh and I forgot to mention the guy with a laptop that wanted us to supply him with dial-up access to his corporate network. This is a public library that is not only offering free WiFi access but also LAN jacks for the public, and this guy wants dial-up. Ever feel like no matter what services you offer it's never enough?

Groan!

"Big Martin had made a mess of the ProCath fanatics who had attacked us. The leaser was identified by his dental records—why he had them on him, no one was quite sure."
— Jasper Fforde, The Well of Lost Plots

Quote

"Patience shall be my song"
— Thomas Wyatt

This has gone far enough

It's bad enough that I can't go into a bookstore any more and look at the new book tables/shelves, especially those made up of trade-paperbacks, without finding a table full of "chick lit" novels with photos or drawings of legs on them. However, on the new books table today was Star, the new novel by Pam Anderson. Yes, that Pam Anderson. I'm not sure which is more amusing, the fact that it's being marketed as "chick lit", meaning for the 20-something through 40-something female, or the fact that on the flip-side of the dust jacket is an uncensored version of the cover (Pam covered in strategically painted stars) sans all the cover's text.

On an even more amusing note, though one I'm not bitter about, I found this item as a result of the search for Pam's book:

Nurse Betty - Sexy Nurse Costume - Also Available Plus Size Nurse Costumes