What did we do before the Internet?

I should know that. I am a librarian. It has been sad to see the inexorable neglect of our reference collections of books. And, yes, I am guilty myself. When was the last time I actually looked at some of my favorite tomes, such as The statesman's yearbook or The encyclopedia of associations?

So, today, here is some of what I have been looking up:
- What is the name of the symbol that Prince, the musician, used as his name? I drew how I thought it looked and thought maybe it was called Ankara. Well, no, Ankara is a city in Turkey. Prince's symbol is unpronounceable but sometimes known as the LOVE symbol. It is a combination of the male symbol, the female symbol and the symbol for alchemy.
- How to grow poppies like I saw in Italy and are all poppies opium poppies?
- Why do I have a metallic taste in my mouth? There could be many reasons, but if the reason is unknown, it is called IDIOPATHIC DYSGEUSIA.

Finished an audio book, Seeds of hope : wisdom and wonder from the world of plants, by Jane Goodall (from the Millville Public Library - AUBK 580 Goo). Yes, that is the chimpanzee woman. She has many more interests. Talks about our relationships with trees and trees relationships with each other. Also clear cutting, rain forests, herbal remedies, how people ruin everything for greed, and GMO's, to just name a few of the topics covered. She travels most of the year giving talks. I found it interesting but hard to get through. Not exactly scintillating. And she actually reads all of the credits and thanks at the end. That was truly boring, but I stuck with it. I liked best the trees parts.

Niggas vs. Black people

This is a VERY FUNNY routine on the Chris Rock album Roll with the new. Today I went to a talk on Laughter as the best medicine. So, I got this album on Hoopla to assist me in getting laughter in my life. It is really doing the job.

It is a gorgeous day outside but I have been spending a lot of time indoors. Breakfast at the Amish market, lunch and a lecture at the health club, lifting weights at the health club and now stuck in the library using the Internet.
Looking forward to getting home tonight and staying there. I love being home when it is sunny. I have quite large windows and I enjoy the sun coming in them. When I get kicked out of the library, I will take a little "Vitamin D bath".

Found out that the wildflower workshop I signed up for tomorrow is OUTSIDE. I guess that is better than inside.

Spring has sprung

Such a delight to walk outside and see sprouts on the trees. Even on my dogwood about that I suspected of being dead the other day. OK, I only have ONE daffodil on all of those green sprouts in the back yard, but now I know they ARE supposed to be daffodils.

Under the Tuscan sun (book), by Frances Mayes - I REread this book in anticipation of trip to Italy this May. Getting in the mood for something old and charming. About a couple who buys an old house in Tuscany (wasn't it a SINGLE woman in the movie?) They spend a fortune on renovations and are back at work in California much of the time. Goes into detail about construction gone wrong and wonderful meals and exploring trips.

Tomorrow is Easter. Playing the chimes and singing three songs with the choir. Gotta come up with something pastel-like to wear. Looking forward to the flowers and perhaps a taste of Easter candy? Not so much fun since our local candy store went out of business.

Looks like forsythia but isn't

These are the kind of things I have to look up on the Internet and through a series of extrapolations, I came up with the possible name for the plant down the street - witch hazel. Took a little ten minute walk at the end of a few computer chores and saw witch hazel, crocuses, and snow drops and heard a TON of birds. It was great. Sky is clouding up but it is still warm. I did not wear my coat, just a sweater.

Finished an autobiography I got onto from a reference question. The story of a musical life, was written by George F. Root and originally published in 1891. He passed through our town in 1856 when he participated in three-day musical conventions to encourage the betterment of church music. He wrote songs during the Civil War, such as The battle cry of freedom and Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! Not much info about the Bridgeton convention, but I found the few sentences I found in other sources quite fascinating. So, I sent away for this book from the Wm. Patterson College library and dutifully read it. It wasn't as good as the book written ABOUT him.

Adding to my daily list of things to do:
- Take a photograph (even if just by crappy cell phone)
- Draw a picture in little book
One or the other MIGHT help me to be more creative. Started my little book by sketching a woman I saw on the Ocean City boardwalk carrying a baby on her front.

Sittin' on the "group W" bench

I went to Municipal court this week.  I forgot to take a Xanax and I really needed it.  Felt like Arlo Guthrie, sittin' on the" group W" bench, with mother stabbers and father rapers and the like (listen to the song/album called Alice's Restaurant if you don't know what I am talking about).  I sat there for a deadly but entertaining and educational three hours listening to all the other cases.  Finally got called in to the prosecutor and felt like she blew me off (actually I should have had a succinct statement ready).  I had a one page document and a chart of all of my neighborhood annoyances, but a 15 word statement would have been more to the point.  She referred my case to "neighborhood disputes" of which I had never heard.  I guess it is some kind of mediation which I learned about reading a really fascinating book called "Neighbor law", put out by Nolo Press. ( I really should have read the one called "Dog law").  I signed a complaint against my neighbor who insists on having a pit bull live on her steps.  I have lost the use of my yard and the peace and quiet of my home due to the barking.

It was horrible being in court, even though I was the filer of a complaint and not the perpetrator of a crime.  They made everyone, complainer and criminal alike, wait in this tiny vestibule with no chairs for a half an hour before letting anyone enter the court. THAT was awkward, but I got the feeling that lots of these people do this very often.   I was out on the porch listening to a woman and a man talk about their domestic violence history, where one person files a complaint and then the other person turns around and countersues.  When the police come around to serve them with papers they just don't open the door.  When they do get into court they generally say that they aren't going to press charges.  What an unpleasant way to spend your afternoons!  It is just a game and a big waste of time.  The woman talked about just getting an ROR.  What's that, I asked.  Release On Recognizance, she said, (but she didn't pronounce it properly).  Some of the people had multiple "crimes" at once....driving offenses, domestic violence, paraphernalia possession.  One guy didn't know (me either) that on the third paraphernalia offense you get a mandatory 90 days in jail.  He was wearing orange at the time.  A really FAT white woman came up and declined to press charges against him.  Then ANOTHER large white women was there with a black guy and as they walked out, having declined to press charges, I noticed a large hickey on her neck.  Some of the people were polite, some had major attitude and some were snickering.    I did learn of some unsavory individuals who live near me. 

Below you will see a photo of a flower blooming at Giverny in July.  I borrowed this pic from a blog I read called Eye prefer Paris (doesn't everyone?)  He said that July was  REALLY hot in France, just like it was here.  I need to take time out of every day to enjoy beauty and calm and elegance.  Thinking about my vacation in France is quite pleasant.  I need to start thinking about the next stage of my life.  Living in Bridgeton is getting pretty taxing, what with the changing neighborhoods.  Too much coming and going around me and people who think the barking of pit bulls is not annoying.

Flashbacks of working with the public

My foray into the public library of my town was ruined last night by a really annoying guy....first he was watching YouTube with headphones on and laughing out loud, sniffling, snorting, wiping his nose on his arm. Then he demanded more time from the librarian (you know how you just can't stop watching YouTube). When she said that he had used up his allowable time for the day he went on a rant about how no one else was there wanting to use the computers, how terrible the service at the library is and how racist the staff is. Then he went off in Spanish telling his new best friend in not very nice Spanish the same things. The Mexican library worker took him to task and it really got ugly.
He finally stomped out swearing that tomorrow he would call the "head librarian" of New Jersey and tell them the same unpleasant things about the library. Not a very good experience since I have been avoiding this library for a month due to:
- one hour limit on computers
- no room for my STUFF next to the computers
- the big fat mouse that I hate (it's a Gateway)
- no handicap ramp so I can wheel my STUFF
On the plus side they have:
- a new director

Will look for a picture of my favorite flowers of the moment. A big bunch at entrance to Cumberland County Library make me glad each time I see them. I learned in Cape May yesterday that they are a sort of hydrangea. Can't seem to get pic but it is a Snow queen oakleaf hydrangea.

A woman named Chastity

There are some quite astonishing things in our local paper.  Like this woman named Chastity Brackney who was indicted on charges of first-degree aggravated sexual assualt, aggravated criminal sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.  Now that I read it again, perhaps her name is CHASITY, not Chastity. Another article was about a woman arrested for wearing a very short skirt and no underwear.

It feels like a Saturday, but it isn't.  Invited out to breakfast by one friend and to lunch by another.  Anyway, what does Saturday feel like when you are retired?  I woke up with NO PLANS and that kind of makes me anxious.

Sign downtown..."Laundry mat coming soon". 

What are those spectacular flowers blooming on my neighbor's plants?  I think it is hibiscus.  They are red and quite wonderful...

MY most beautiful women

Gwyneth Paltrow was just voted the world's most beautiful woman.  So I thought I would add MY most beautiful women:
- Fergie
- Beyonce
- Jennifer Lawrence
- Queen Latifah

Can't really think of my choices for most beautiful man.  What does that say about me?  Alright....

- Legalos
- Sawyer in Lost
- Brad Pitt in the olden days
- George Clooney

Gorgeous day today.  Weather is fine, plants are blooming, all sorts of purple things confusing me.
I took two walks already today.  I learned at the recent lecture that I should be doing 30 minutes of CARDIO 5 days a week.  So will have a new statistic at the end of each day.  Minutes of cardio over total minutes of exercise for the WEEK.  Yoga and arthritis exercise don't really count for CARDIO.

Lilac or wisteria?

I get them confused.  Not only that, but I had to search on the Internet to remember the names of either or both of them.  At least, I know how to do THAT.  I love them both and they both smell great.  We had a wisteria bush/tree growing up in what we called the "park".  Not many lilac trees around in domestication...they mostly seem to be in the wild. 

Book review:  Have to return this book today as I got it on Interlibrary loan from the Franklin Township Public Library (F WOLITZER) .  An available man, by Hilma Wolitzer.  I like a book about a "modest and bookish" man who becomes single at age 62 after his second wife dies.  His children put an ad in The New York review of books hoping he will meet someone new.  I can relate, except for the DATING parts.  So, it is about his life, his relatives, his dog, an old girlfriend and various other women who pass through his sphere.

I am trying to become a better library patron.  This is hard for a librarian who is used to "professional courtesy" as far as fines go.  I seem to have finagled a deal at my OWN library, but I notice one of the other libraries in the system is charging me fines!  And a local library I frequent went off and joined a different group so I am just another lousy patron in their book.  So, I am returning a book due today on ILL and also another book I couldn't get into.  Feeling kind of bad about that since the back cover was filled with GLOWING words about it.  I wanted to get a book called Life after life by Jill McCorkle, who went to my college (Hollins University).  There is ANOTHER book of the same name so I got that one, too.  That is the one that I couldn't get into.  Also feel bad because the author, Kate Atkinson, wrote another book that I enjoyed....Started early, took my dog. Isn't that a great title!?   Maybe I will try it another time, but I brought it back because I noticed that someone else had put it on hold and I hadn't gotten very far into it.