Skate

I grew up in a town with little for recreation. Even less in the winter. There was nothing or skating at the rink. I was one of the few chumps who could bbbaaareely skate. I dragged myself there. These were the days before I was dateable at all really; gawky and bookish then. I was a girl who couldn't attract a decent skater suffice it to say and that was the rank for those many dark months.

Today our family went for a skate and we all had fun. Me the most. I put on my game face to teach my kids. I urged my husband a good Canadian all-star swift on ice to skate away. I love to watch him skate. Even on days that are not today.

Men are better when their feet don't touch the ground.

Thinking space for civilization

I am telling every librarian I can to read this : http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6716277.html


Q: What do you think is coming for publishing generally speaking and the idea of words on a page? How can information managers in a library environment either help influence public opinion or help content creators?

A: If I were a librarian now, I would attempt to conceive of the library from an experiential point of view. I would say, “What is the experience that is missing from the agora, from the world out there, from the private home? What is the experience that’s missing that we need in order to be human, in order to think, in order to consider?”

My own take on it would be that information availability in some sort of raw form is not a problem anymore, because of the Internet. It is for some people, as you well know; not everyone has Internet access or equal Internet access. Acknowledging all of that and just speaking in a very crude way that ignores [the digital divide] for a moment…if somebody has broadband at home, if they’re affluent, it doesn’t mean they have all they need. They still, in many cases, lack the time and space really to think in their lives. And, gradually, libraries will take on the role in civilization of providing that space. I don’t think the home will provide it anymore.

The thinking space where people can get to know themselves and get their ideas cogently arranged or what have you…

Q: So the cliché of the librarian going, “Shhhhhhhhh….” Oh, are we tired of that!

A: I’m sure you are, but, in a way, that is going to become something that is so desperately desired that I have a feeling there will be a new life for the library in which it provides the thinking space for civilization.

A thinking space for civilization.. that’s a good core service list for a libraries sharing/community + ideas/knowledge + beauty = civilization.

If I have been asking for months.. what are our principles? What can we offer that students don’t get elsewhere… there it is.

Colonic

Mo has dreaded the day when I begin to say "I told you so. I told you, I told you Vancouver is no winter town! We should neeever have hosted the winter Olympics." I know this because she has said so three times which therefore qualifies it in the p-books as being said.

But I won't say it, though the heavens rain away all the fake snow, bales of straw, and dry ice that Vanoc trucks onto Cypress Mtn. I will not. Because it could still snow in time for the snowboard savants and their ilk to catch air or hang up, in, or out or whatever it is they are doing between bong hits and coitus. (Not that I have any misconceptions about the sport.) Instead, I will apply the fruit of Onan to my scalp, pout a wee bit (more), and sing it. Yep. Like this guy.



Also on the subject of life's little disappointments and non-sentences, fucking Toyota. We've been driving this mfg. for the last 7 years or so. I have oft said: Ooo, what a reliable motor vehicle we are owning... you should trade in that piece of monkey dung you are driving and get a Toyota. Meanwhile, we kept waiting for the blog endorsement loot to rain upon us like an Olympian golden shower because Toyota is so big they can tell what we are saying to strangers in parking lots who chase us while shouting for no discernible reason, other that our helpful little PSA, and Toyota is sooo very generous to John P. Public that they will pay us mind-control subjects/Toyota owners lots of money in large denominations just for having a Toyota, a big mouth, and an inferiority complex. And by we and us, I mean me. But now it looks like the good times are over. No money for us. And plus also our current flotilla of two is not subject of any recalls. So no class action cashing in. Not that money would help - who is going to compensate me for my loss of smugness?

p-man out