It is April 2022

Everything changes.  Yes, I know that isn't news.  This blog must be renamed. My career as a librarian has ended.  It is such a sad story.  I will not bore you with the details.  

This blog was established when I was a librarian and determined to bring myself into the 21st century.  I am no longer a librarian and my personal outlook has undergone a psychotic break.   

Social media has become a powerful implement accessible to any and everyone.  

The world is in chaos.  That isn't news either.  The tempo and self destructive tone of the chaos is approaching fever pitch.

Thanks to social media, the roaring rumble, interspersed with angry, terrified, anguish filled voices has the potential to overcome, seduce, destroy, influence, educate, misinform and, entertain everyone.  I have always believed that opinions are like assholes - everybody has one.  Social media allows them to dance on a world stage.   

I am still not convinced that sharing opinions in such a manner has any redeeming elements.  It does appeal to the ego, so onward humanity and I march toward . . . . No one wants to really acknowledge the fact that a future dependent on humanity is bleak.  Everyone seems to cling to the belief that life can and will get better.  

My response is to reference Kafka, Hemingway, Orwell, Steinbeck, Clancy, Patterson and the Bible.  Just a little slice of grim to share with you. 

Don't let it stop you.  It hasn't stopped billions.  Some get plowed under, but watch TV.  Check out YouTube, podcasts by the thousands and, the internet in general.  All present a clear picture no one chooses or wants to see.  

So, what should I rename my blog?  I'll get back to you after a little self reflection.

      

Santa Claus is supposed to visit the library this morning.  My coworker busted her hump decorating the juvenile section so that we have a comfy fireplace sitting area complete with Christmas tree and rocking chair for the photo ops.

Photo ops. . . . it is raining like icky this morning.  Not a real rain, just drizzle and cold enough to help you decide there is NOTHING outside your front door that can't wait until later.  School is still in session.  I have a feeling between the weather and school, there will be very few children sitting on Santa's knee this morning.

Am I sad?  No.  I'm not particularly fond of Santa, children, Christmas, or this time of year.  So I'm just my usual snarky self.  OH wait!  I am older courtesy of December 12, 2014 I am forty-nine years of age.

The miracle is that I've reached this age without going to jail or developing a serious health issue, like cancer, heart failure or liver disease.   For this I am grateful but am fully aware that I have somehow just managed to skate on very thin ice.  Doesn't mean I'm gonna change my habits, but I have chosen to indulge my habits a little more circumspectly.  

On that note I must sign off.   Please pray that the staff doesn't try to make me take a pic on Santa's knee!

Any librarians out there in "the cloud"? The Kirbyville Public Library now has a presence on Facebook (yeah???) ">Kirbyville Public Library on Facebook

I have RSS feeds to my Google Chrome browser from Texas State Library and Archives Commission, American Library Association,  Infopeople Training, Goodreads,  Barnes and Noble, and Michael Stevens' Tame the Web blog.

I should be in "the loop".  So shouldn't I feel smarter, more informed, better equipped to make decisions and create programming ideas for my library?   According to these RSS feeds and blogs I am a Librarian 2.0 ready, willing and able.

So why does it take me 30 - 45 minutes to post information and links on the KPL Facebook page?  I spend the first 15 of those minutes calm and confident in the knowledge that the nuggets of information are of intrinsic value to patrons of the library and our community.  Inevitably, 20 minutes into this little task (which really shouldn't be hard) the air around my work station is blue, my computer terminal is in imminent danger of being violently destroyed in an explosion of sparks and hopefully flames, when I will undoubtedly take my telephone and keyboard and being flailing away at the @(#% thing like a freakin' maniac! ! ! !!

So . . . . . . I back off or get off my "high horse" and leave the library premises to adjourn to the neighborhood convenience for a huge Dr. Pepper and the largest amount of chocolate that I can cram into my mouth.

On my chocolate high I'll log into Pinterest and see what other librarians are doing.  I love that I can use Pinterest and appear to be diligently working on projects or researching ideas for use in our library; when in reality I'm just browsing the internet.  Isn't technology fun?