Library Epiphany

Had a library epiphany today, thanks to Jenn and Marlene. The reason I’m meant to work with teens (and maybe someday, adults) rather than children is, if they crap their pants it’s not my responsibility. I can politely ask them to take care of it. And their mothers don’t sniff their butts.

So Very Butch

Diana and the Teen Council decorated all the headphones to cut down on theft. Although why anyone would steal these things in the first place is a major mystery. They are huge and don’t have great sound. But the plan seems to be working. We are getting them all back these days. I wish you all could see how our kids look with giant, land-the-space-shuttle black headphones festooned with ribbon, lace and glitter. So very butch.

Book Lust – Anita Blake Graphic Novels

Today at the library Jenn requested that our library purchase the Anita Blake graphic novel series. I’m so excited. I am in book lust for these graphic novels. Since I have her complete written oevre I may have to purchase these for myself. But I know these will circulate so it’s not totally self-serving.

Booklist

This list’s a whopper!
As of 04/17/2009:

• Freddie & Me: A Coming-of-Age (Bohemian) Rhapsody by Mike Dawson – Well drawn autobiographical graphic novel. Especially liked the memories matched to Queen’s music bits.
• Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell – More of what her early books used to be like. It moved fast for a book that large.
• Fashion High – More coming of age stuff. Remember enjoying it but now it blends in to all the rest. Still, I’d recommend it.
• The Girl of His Dreams by Donna Leon – The thing I love about her books is the moral ambiguity of Brunetti. It isn’t like an American police novel. There are no spectacular shoot outs with deranged mad men at the end. There are not thrilling chase scenes through the streets of Venice. But Venice is a character and a damn good one. It’s the reason I started reading in the first place. Leon’s characterization of Brunetti, his family and friends is the reason I keep reading.
• 47 by Walter Mosley – How many ways can I say I love this book? There is a dream sequence that threatened to derail my utter devotion. It made sense for the story but I still liked the first part better.
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer: No Future for You – Amy, if you are reading this, you need to pick up these graphic novels. They take place after the end of the series. Anyone who knows me knows how much I still heart Buffy.
• Clubbing by Andi Watson – graphic novel, self-absorbed spoiled little bitch gets sent to the Lakes District with her grandparrnts for the summer. And yet I kept reading. Liked the drawing, goth clothes.
• Red Hot Cajun by Sandra Hill – Whoo, boy!
• Look Beyond the Dream by Noelle Berry McCue – Crappity crap. Crappy McCrapperson. I finally came up with the outline for the dude in my very own trashy romance novel. So I’m at Savers one fine Saturday and I happen upon a Silhouette Desire book. Thinking to research by reading books that actually got published I bought this. Mainly because the main character is from Idaho. That’s $.50 that I’ll never get back. After reading this creamed crap she could have been from anywhere. Still good research in what not to do.
• Miles Walker, You’re Dead – Couldn’t finish. Don’t check out again.
• French Quarter by Stella Cameron – Couldn’t finish. Don’t check out again. There are trashy romance novels even I can’t read.
• Spud: The Madness Continues by John Van de Ruitt – Not as good as the first, a bit of a retread with some disturbing bits but still enjoyable.
• Hip Hop High School by Alan Lawrence Sitomer – It wasn’t Rock and Roll High School but at least it gives me a book to recommend.
• Backstage Pass by Gaby Triana – Daydream in book form.
• Spud by John Van de Ruitt – Read slowly so it will last. I’m still pissed I didn’t buy this book when I had the chance when I was in SA.
• 100 Girls – Graphicallly violent and not in a pleasing Buffy way.
• Regifters by Mark Carey, Sonny Liew and Marc Hempel – Shy teen love, hapkido style
• Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld – The moral of the story is, put puree in everything. Apparently her life is pitch perfect but the mac n cheese recipe is good.
• Janes In Love by Cecil Castellucci – Angsty teen love graphic novel. Recommend
• Rainbow Road by Alex Sanchez – Shy gay teen love. These boys could grow up to be my gay boyfriends.
• The War at Ellsmere by Faith Erin Hicks. Graphic novel. It was OK. I liked some bits of dialogue and the artwork. It fell apart at the end.
• Love is a many Trousered Thing by Louise Rennison
• Stop in the name of Pants by Louise Rennison
• Mates, Dates and Diamond Destiny by Cathy Hopkins – Shy teen crap.

The GRE Proves It

I’m not retarded! My scores were 540 verbal and 410 quantitative. Those are not great scores from what I can tell from Google. The quantitative score was low, surprising no one. I guessed on most of the questions. We’ll see what the results are for the written. I hope those bring my score up.

Taking the actual test was a bit surreal. I had to lock up all my stuff in a locker, including my lip balm and the tissue I brought from home. Tissues, I was told sternly, would be provided. I was invited to leave my lip balm outside the door. I only wish I was bright enough to concoct a device that would project all possible answers on to the cubicle walls in the test area with a simple twist of the tube.

My test started with the writing portion. I was even able to work Africa into my first essay. The second was easier. I felt a bit like Ralphie in “A Christmas Story” when he turns in his theme. I was imagining the glee with which the readers of my essays would discuss my brilliantly cogent arguments over coffee. And hoping they wouldn’t instead mark the entire thing up with red pencil and give me a solid C+.

The verbal section was next and nothing like I was expecting. First of all, it was a mixed bag. I did not get a sets of analogies, antonyms and paragraphs to read and comprehend. My worst verbal skill is analogies so of course it was almost entirely analogies interrupted by terrifically boring passages about mollusks and some sort of Great-Lakes-killing clam and how the earth’s waist (aka the Equator) is shrinking. The killer clam (couldn’t help the B-52’s song, “Rock Lobster” careening through my brain after that snore-worthy passage) story sucked up almost 10 of my 30 minutes. I started to get tense at that point.

Next was the quantitative portion which was pretty much what I expected: incomprhensible. I’m surprised I got any correct.

Last was the exprimental portion which wasn’t scored. That’s a bummer because that was almost entirely filled with two things I’m good at: phrases to fill in and antonyms.

Everyone tells me the GREs will not be a factor to me getting in to library school. But I still wanted to do well. My scores are a bit disapponting but I’m still giddy it’s over.