shut me up with milk

I MET KELLY GARRETT (Jaclyn Smith)

2009-05-07T06:07:00.004-05:00

Kittehs

2009-04-30T08:47:00.001-05:00

I Went to a Mets Game! Yippeeeee

2009-04-29T18:42:00.002-05:00

It's a grainy photo,I know (and I know my stance displays a gut-like protrusion from my mid-section but, as someone I once knew well enough to marry said, "I ain't got no gut"), but my Blackberry is shite, what can I say.

ANWAY. After my self-conscious weight comment, the game was super fun. The stadium is rockalicious and I got to drink wine at a ballgame, even. Top that. You can't. I know it.

My seats were a-maize-ing and I felt like a superstar in the balmy breeze. I am determined to make more games this year, and hopeful that the Yankees will lower their G-damn prices to make that happen. Doubtful. I know.

Aw, Poor Kitteh

2009-04-15T13:22:00.006-05:00

I am evil. I am starting to really become one of those people who scorns those who get in my way, grunts (like Clint Eastwood in his last film) even. I scan the streets, the subway platforms, the train stations, staircases, escalators, lines, you name it, for obstacles. And, if a small child being held by the hand and led up the staircase at 34th st. station, for example, is in front of me I curse them (in my head) as I impatiently wait.

Sometimes when there is a blockage of a person moving unreasonably slow, I don't even notice why they're slow, I just curse them as I go cruising by, only to learn that they are:

1) walking with a cane
2) blind
3) born at the turn of the century
4) another number of disabilities

And then I feel bad.

But, most of the time (and I am NOT kidding) it's idiots doing the following:

1) talking on their cell phones
2) texting on their damn cell phones
3) using their damn Blackberry or iPhone to email or browse the internet
4) kanoodling with someone of the opposite (or same) gender
5) gawking at the oh-so-tall buildings and generally not paying attention to their surroundings.

And then I want to punch them in the neck.

A couple funny things happened yesterday. For one, when I was descending the massive staircases down into Penn Station these two crack-flaunting southern men sporting Toyota baseball caps (in blue and red, respectively) and carrying red Toyota bags (is there a car show going on or something) were walking next to me and they said, sounding frustrated already, "Can you imagine doing this every day," Twiddle Dee said to Twiddle Dumb, who replied, "Yeah, that would fucking suck" to which I turned to Twiddle Dee and laughed. Hicks. Your life is SOOOOOO hard.

On my walk down Lexington to the Subway I made a Malbec stop and as the guy was ringing me out, with the door to the shop closed even, both of us overhead this hooded sweatshirt girl yelling at someone on her cell phone, tossing around the love word with every other word. The guy bagged-up my purchase and he said something like, "Wow, I don't even know what to say..." I mean, the girl was LOUD. I replied, "Yeah, you'd think you'd get used to that, living in New York, but seriously..." Then, right as I walked out onto the street she started walking so we were in step. I couldn't help myself, I looked over at her and recognized her, it was the same girl from a month ago who was breaking up with her girlfried on the street (again, this all happened a couple blocks from Hunter). She was saying almost the exact same thing to someone on the phone. Exact. I remember all this because the last time I walked right behind the girl as she was screaming at her GF, for like five blocks when a rich older Joan Collins looking woman boldly told her to "Watch your language." I was thinking, "ew, shittttt" because, who knows wtf this crazy bitch is capable of doing, then the girl turned and faced the woman and said, "Fucking mind your own business you old bitch." To which, Joan Collins guffawed with an "I never" or some other useless comeback. Random as hell. Settle. Shesh.

Another day in mighty NYC. Just another day.

Funny Links again

2009-03-18T18:39:00.000-05:00

see more pwn and owned pictures

See more: http://failblog.org

AND

http://pictureisunrelated.com/

Jeff in 3rd Grade (God Love the 70's)

2009-03-13T06:46:00.001-05:00

OBEY in Minneapolis Lyndale Ave, by the Wedge

2009-03-05T08:48:00.000-06:00

Blech

2009-02-25T18:17:00.001-06:00

To Say Michael Jackson is NUTZO is so effin' obvious

2009-02-18T19:04:00.005-06:00

Just let this picture speak, it is a close-up of the hood of his golf cart to put-put around his Neverland estate. He IS Peter Pan here, literally.

If you didn't know about the auction, check it out online, Julien's hasn't posted the images yet, but some folks out on the web have teasers.

Here are some fun linkies for your reading pleasure:

http://nouveaubutch.wordpress.com/

A fave entry: http://nouveaubutch.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/breaking-up-with-straight-people/

My head may EXPLODE, Peaches has a new record coming-up: http://www.peachesrocks.com/ I am so filled with joy right now. So much joy.

The Daily Puppy (Just more pix of pups, I have an illness, I'm not proud of it.)

Here are the places I'm going to try to watch the Oscars on Sunday night without cable, then, if unsuccessful, to the bar I will go (but let's hope, for my sake, it doesn't come down to that, I'm not known for my self-control on Oscar night):

http://oscarawardslivestream.blogspot.com/2009/02/watch-81st-academy-awards-oscar-awards.html

http://www.bbpctv.com/program-The-Oscars.aspx

http://postingaddict.blogspot.com/2009/02/watch-81st-academy-awards-2009-oscars.html

http://negosyo.ws/

Let me know if YOU have a better source(s).

Coraline...Go See it!

2009-02-17T09:14:00.005-06:00

I saw Coraline this weekend and loved it so much I'm reading the book (having never read Gaiman this is a double-delight). I won't say much about the plot because I saw it without any idea what it was about which was way fun. Just go see it, don't ask questions.

Maddy got a haircut this weekend and looks adorable (pictures to come in another entry) and I'm working on a video of her antics as well. She also got a clean bill of heath from the vet.

Here are some linkies I discovered:

http://boxee.net/ (This may solve my Netflix problem, story to follow.)

http://movies.ign.com/dor/objects/735644/coraline/videos/coraline_feat3_081308.html A collection of current videos on films as well as decent vids interviewing the principles of Coraline (and a making of, which I love).

XBOX MISERY: The Saga Begins.

Silly me, I trusted Netflix's web site. I am attempting to live a cable-free life in an effort to lessen my addiction to TV and to save a little moola, so I thought it'd be swell to just have internet and watch Netflix. Then, I discovered that Netflix now offers an online streaming option (nifty, I have not been a Netflix member in years so I'm a newbie). But, when I tried to stream my Mac wasn't compatible. Thanks Netflix, you never once mentioned this on your site. So, I thought I'd possibly buy their little box for $99, hook it up to my TV and stream anyway. But, $99 bucks for a device that only streams Netflix and does nothing else. Seems like a waste of money. I scrolled down to the bottom of the screen of devices that stream and Netflix said the Xbox for $199 (that'd be the "Arcade" version, folks) streams, as long as you have the "Gold" membership. Um kay.

Long story shortened, after spending all effin' day at the mall and speaking to a series of useless Gameworks, EBGames and Best Buy employees and receiving conflicting information from all, I learned that the next XBOX up ($299) will play Netflix, but NOT the $199. Thanks y'all for knowing ye head from ye arse. The kicker is all the fun I had pushing and shoving through the game-hungry crowds at said stores, not kewl. Listen, I know what you're thinking, I sorta deserved this, I mean, who else shops in those stores but gamers. I'm not a gamer. I've only played "classic" video games at arcades in the 1980's (yes, I am old, 38 to be exact) and have never played a gaming system except Pong that hooked up to our TV in the 70's and Atari in the 80's. I thought it'd be fun to try it out and the thing could work as a DVD player too. Nope, it's a foreign language spoken in a hostile land that I want nothing to do with.

So, the first link I posted above is supposed to be the answer to my woes.

Truthfully, I just want to watch "The Rockford Files" and movies on my TV in the living room. Is that so wrong?

But, in the meantime, while at Bestbuy I picked-up a new directors version of "Taxi Driver" and an uber-cheap (um, $3.99 cheap) copy of "American Psycho," after reading the book I'm curious, plus, as You Tube revealed, Bales is great at spewing angry venomous swearing.

That's my weekend. You are jealous, I know it.

Meanwhile, last night my Brooklyn landlord emailed me, texted me and left a vmail just to freak me out for nothing. The guy just wanted to "touch base" but his messages belied some sort of emergency. I can't wait to settle-up, get my deposit back and say buh-bye to Bushwick for eternity. Lawdy, it won't be soon enough.

I also went to this restaurant on Saturday night and it was a-maze-ing.

The Orange Squirrel

This is a cool site also: http://www.baristanet.com/ should you be interested in my new hood.

I Lurve Koalas

2009-02-04T18:58:00.005-06:00

I saw this photo on cuteoverload.com and I cannot stop thinking about Koala bears. Now, I know they arn't actually bears. No doy. But I want this one, in particular, to be my bear. I want to hug him and squeeze him and cuddle him and...see? I can't stop. It's hor-eb-le the way I am obsessing today. I guess it takes my mind off of other things like my lousy, um, er, part of my life.

Here are some links to further amuse you:

http://www.corporate-casual.com/

http://www.cutewithchris.com/

http://www.aardman.com/

http://galleryoftheabsurd.typepad.com/

Not Obey Studios, but...Obamaicon yourself!

http://www.gofugyourself.celebuzz.com/

http://www.celebritypuke.com/

http://urbanprankster.com/

http://doodlewhore.blogspot.com/

http://hellodollface.blogspot.com/

Fun Link Friday

2009-01-30T10:09:00.003-06:00

I love this guy's stuff. Check it out: http://adamturman.com/index.php?p=2&s=73

Stuff White People Like: A keen example of a guy whose blog got him a book deal. Here's the CNN article: CNN

OHNOTHEYDIDNT: Another entertainment blog, funnier than most.

Television Without Pity: Been readin' this one for years, take a looksie, title says all.

True Enough for You

My so called fabulous life

FourFour

(PS Should you want to buy me a housewarming gift for my big move, buy me this poster, the guy sells it from his site!)

Today's Natalie Dee Drawing

2009-01-27T13:56:00.001-06:00

nataliedee.com

Happy 25th Anniversary Mac!

2009-01-23T12:32:00.003-06:00

Linkies to get yer Apple on (and how):

http://library.stanford.edu/mac/ : a historical online exhibit tracing the mac's evolution.

http://www.jeremymehrle.com/jeremymehrle/home.html : A dude's personal shrine or what not, to the beloved computer.

The Church of Mac : Just as the title says, yo.

Macheads the Movie : A new documentary about the cult of Mac.

http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/ : This dude knows everything about the damn Apple stores.

The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs : AKA Fake Steve Jobs blog, but funny (not doing much updating these days though, punks).

That's all I have for now. Prepping for my move outta Brooklyn. Hey, Brooklyn, can you say buh-bye? Nope, but sure as S-H-I-T-E can.

2009-01-20T13:58:00.001-06:00

Links to Get Yer Cute ON

2009-01-07T15:36:00.005-06:00

(CRAPPIDY CRAP CRAP Blogger won't let me upload photos right now, grr.)

http://gridskipper.com/

http://gridskipper.com/travel/new-york/new-york-puppy-porn-315004.php (Allows dog-less people the great spots to see dogs.)

http://www.sushiesque.com/adorablog/

http://catsinsinks.com/

http://www.theittybittykittycommittee.com/

http://kittenwar.com/

http://www.dailykitten.com/

http://www.dailypuppy.com/

And the Lord, God, King of all cute web sites: http://www.cuteoverload.com/

http://www.cutethingsfallingasleep.org/

Goodbye Chilo, 1999-2009

2009-01-05T09:01:00.005-06:00

Jeff's cat Chilo passed away suddenly last night so this post goes out to him. The enclosed photo is of Chilo (see giant fluffy Kitteh in the above photo), Jeff and Max (or, as I like to call him, "Maxi-Pad" due to his love for the all night Chilo cat-box buffet) lounging.

I feel fortunate for having known Chilo his whole life. Jeff really wanted a cat, this is back when we worked at American Express Financial Advisors (now "Ameriprise") and I was working Corporate Communications (a slow and painful death) and in charge of our intranet classified ads. Knowing Jeff wanted a cat, I forwarded the few ads we had for Kittehs, one that caught Jeff's eye was an adult cat named Chilo. Unfortunately, that cat got snatched-up sooner than Jeff could apply, but then an ad for kittens came up. He jumped at it. We drove out to some rural Mn locale and met the kittehs. Jeff chose this beautiful male kitteh, the offspring of an escaped house cat who got impregnated by the local stray and the name Chilo stuck.

As soon as we started driving home Chilo was climbing all over my car, letting-out his familiar "eehh oww" (that cat's meow was truly unique). From then on we realized Chilo operated by his own set of rules, never to bend to the wishes of others. He was half wild-cat and despite his beauty (and his pale nose) he would never be fully tamed.

True, me and Chilo had our "issues" stemming mainly from his desire to claw my face or bite my top lip, I still looked forward to seeing him (and, truth be told, teasing him) every time I went home. That "little bastard" as both me and Jeff commonly called him, will be missed. A funny aside, even when he was gravely ill, moments before he passed-away he still managed to stick one last claw into Jeff, remaining fiesty until the end.

My favorite Chilo song is below (sing along, if you will):

Written by: neil diamond

Young child with dreams
Dream, ev'ry dream on your own
When children play
Seems like you end up alone

Papa says he'd love to be with you
If he had the time
So you turn to the only friend you can find
There in your mind

Chilo, when i was young
I used to call your name
When no one else would come
Chile, you always came
And we'd play

Young girl with fire
Something said she understood
I wanted to fly
She made me feel like i could
Held out my hand, and i let her take me

Blind as a child
All i saw was the way that she made me smile
She made me smile

Chilo, when i was young
I used to call your name
When no one else would come
Chile, you always came
And you'd stay

Had a dream, and it filled me with wonder
She had other plans
"got to go, and i know you'll understand"
I understand

Chilo, when i was young
I used to call your name
When no one else would come
Chilo, you always came
Come today

Girl Crushes

2009-01-04T11:55:00.002-06:00

It's official, I am crushing on Annabella mucho. But, what's with the guy in the cowboy get-up?

Two Videos You Need to Watch

2008-12-22T10:46:00.002-06:00

Two songs describing how I'm feeling today.

Famous Bow Wow Wow Photo Shoot

2008-12-19T10:23:00.002-06:00

Watch this video, the quality isn't great but it furthers my absolute love for Annabella, she was a doll.

BTW, send out some good karma, someone I care about very much is critically ill and could use some good energy (even if you don't believe in that sort of thing, I do, so there). That is why I'm smothering myself in the things I love, so please enjoy by watching the following videos.

Bettie Page Video

2008-12-12T12:22:00.001-06:00

Bettie Page: 1923-2008

2008-12-12T11:16:00.005-06:00

Represented above are two of my favorite things in this world: Bettie Page and scooters. Sadly, Battie Page passed away and, anyone who knows me could attest, that I am quite the fan. Today, take a moment to remember a woman whose attitude about nudity was so refreshing at such a repressive time in history. Cheers to our girl Bettie, you made a mark and will be missed!

Check out this blog

Speechless

2008-12-05T14:53:00.002-06:00

Links you MUST Check Out

2008-11-19T15:45:00.002-06:00

To find the cheapest gas: GasBuddy

Funny and useful instruction manuals: Howcast

Need help shopping: iliketotallyloveit

To make sure you are choosing the right hotels and booking the right rooms: TripKick

Nutritional information for all kinds of packaged foods: Zeer

Share recipes and restaurant reviews: Serious Eats

Alternate street views: Map Jack

Marilyn Monroe Makes My World Less Sad

2008-11-19T09:44:00.002-06:00

Photocredit: Douglas Kirkland

Full Text of Books...Online! (More Linkies)

2008-11-13T10:32:00.002-06:00

Google Books

Forgotten Books.org

The Great Books at Anova.org

The Great Books at Booksmirror.org

(An aside: interested in the Great Books? Click here.)

Alex Catalogue

The Online Books Page

Fullbooks.com (HTML ONLY)

Gutenberg Project

A Great List Put Together by Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

19th Century Schoolbooks

Bibliolmania: Has class literature, articles, reference and non-fiction (HTML)

Internet Public Library: There are older classic texts, mainly this is a bunch of links to other sites that offer articles, texts, etc.

I Must Get My Hair Cut!!!!

2008-11-13T10:24:00.003-06:00

I dig my gal Juliette Binoche's hair cuts of the past several years so she is now my current hair muse. Question is, which should I choose?

So Glad it's NOT Me

2008-11-07T13:51:00.001-06:00

Tis my first opportunity to exclaim my pure joy at not having to drive in the evil weather that is now South Dakota. Nope. Not me. Not it.

And a final HHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEE

Finally!

2008-11-05T10:54:00.006-06:00

THis is the best photo of the Rockefeller Plaza goings-on last night (taken on my Crackberry), which I made an appearance after work. Last night was one of those glorious nights I was glad to live here, let's just put it that way.

I won't go on about the election results, naturally I'm ecstatic that Obama won. No kidding. I am certain that you, like most people I know, are glad it's over and that we can stop hearing all the campaign ads and whatnot (elections are not whatnot). And, I am certainly tired of hearing everyone's take on it (just this morning, on the subway a woman commented to her friend, "Pretty much all women voted for Obama" really, tell that to some of my friends, women friends, who I can assure you did not). But, I will say (with fingeeees crossed for Franken) there is a recount in my home state that will provide much-needed lingering drama.

Onto another important issue: MY BIRTHDAY IS ON SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

useful links

2008-10-27T14:13:00.003-05:00

http://slashdot.org/ "News for nerds. Stuff that matters."

http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2125/1972 Article about web 2.0

KNOL, created by Google, user-generated encyclopdia.

http://www.blogwithoutalibrary.net/links/index.php?title=Welcome_to_the_Blogging_Libraries_Wiki

http://tametheweb.com/

http://www.librarything.com

http://plcmclearning.blogspot.com

http://doppelme.com

Stupidity at its Finest

2008-10-20T15:21:00.003-05:00

I do not like the neighborhood I am in today (east 23rd/3rd ave approx) because not only are sick people shuffling around everywhere (hospital nearby and VA) and I've been lucky enough NOT to get sick in the last couple months (although now I def. will) but also because I couldn't find a G*damn place to eat a decent lunch. Eventually I found a grocery store (with an alarming ghetto vibe) and made a disgustingly bland salad from their salad bar (at least then I was able to have a couple choices). Me, being, well, me, chose NOT to get into the "Express Lane, 8 Items or Less" because I eyed the dude in front of me clutching onto his pack of meat and figured him for a speedy fella. Incorrect was I.

But, I used my time waiting on line wisely by watching the goings-on in the express line next to me. I watched this smallish, 40ish woman with a basket full of groceries place each of her items in piles on the conveyer belt thingee, organizing them by type. For example: one pile of 6 diff. yogurts, one pile of four boxes of noodles, etc. Interesting, I thought, as the woman quickly did her organizing while the person in front of her paid. But, she did let the woman behind her clutching a salad (like myself) cut in line in front of her. Some niceness, I guess....

To clarify, yes, the sign that hung OVER HER HEAD clearly stated the rules of this line, "8 Items or Less." There wasn't room for interpretation. None.

When it was her turn here is how the conversation went:

Cashier: It's 8 items or less.

Stupid Shopper: Yeah, I know, see I have 8 different types of items (she said, pointing-out the significance of her piles then saying) see, these are yogurts, that's one, these are noodles, that's two...

Cashier: No, that's not how it works. It's 8 items or less!

Stupid Shopper: But...

Cashier: See that sign (she said pointing to the sign above Stupid Shopper's tumble-weed stuffed head), it's clear.

Stupid Shopper: What do you expect me to do? I unpacked already.

Cashier: It says 8 items.

Stupid Shopper: I let someone go ahead of me, doesn't that count for something (this comment was met by a blank stare from the cashier). Paleze....

Then, the most disappointing thing happened, the cashier rang her out anyway, much to my dismay.

So, the logic of the stupid shopper escapes me. I stood, mouth in classic fly-catcher mode until it was my turn.

Moral of the Story: I guess if you do something nice for someone (let them get ahead of you in line if you have lots of items and they have only one) you deserve to use the Express Lane any way you damn-well choose. Oh, and crying like a little b*&$h helps too, I guess.

Crazy Murakami Commercials

2008-10-20T15:12:00.001-05:00

Balance ME Cesar

2008-10-20T09:57:00.007-05:00

I know it's been a coon's age (which is what, exactly?) since I've posted, but hey, a girl gets busy from time-to-time. Doing what, exactly? Catching-up on "The Dog Whisperer." Yeah, that's right, I'm addicted and I am crushing on my boy Cesar. I won't deny it. I'm even reading his books right now. So there.

People keep asking me what I think of Madge and Guy Richie's divorce news. I am issuing this official statement:

"I don't give a F*@k" Thanks Peaches for your help on that one.

I also saw the new Dinero/Sean Penn/Bruce Willis flick, "What Just Happened" and can I just say that Dinero looks mighty handsome in this film (and Sean Penn goes without saying, my love for that boy began with "Fast times" and knows no boundaries). The film, itself, was amusing, some good laughs and even better digs at Hollywood. That said, my fave Hollywood sqewering film is Altman's "The Player," because, quite honestly, you really can't get much better than that. BUT, this one is amusing and worth seeing, if, for no other reason, seeing Dinero in his Salomon Grundies doing the downward-facing dog is worth your fricking 12 (!!! still gets me) doll hairs.

Here are some linkies of interest to one and all:

A Couple Entertaining Blogs:

http://misszoepearl.blogspot.com/

http://www.doedeereblogazine.com/

The Japanese Invented Cute I Am Confinced Awards Go To:

http://www.cupcakekawaii.com/

http://www.puricute.com/

Moozilla Firefox Cute: http://www.foxkeh.com/

(Scroll to the pix of the buses, midway down the page) http://gaijinnosekai.wordpress.com/2008/06/

http://www.fashionablycute.net/category/food/food-beat/food-fun//

Wired Article on Kawaii: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.12/cute.html

Examines Japanese Culture (take a look at the corporate mascots): http://whatjapanthinks.com/2008/05/11/top-thirty-cutest-corporate-mascots-in-japan/

I can't spell today,I am spelling challenged so I should go, no, really, I should.

It's All About Amusing Me Today.

2008-10-06T15:12:00.003-05:00

Thanks Jeff for scanning and sending this picture on to me. Of course I had to share it to the world for two reasons 1) No pictures of us hanging-out anywhere on yer blog/social networking communications, shame, 2) I had to share the pure hair-lip, hockey-hair goodness of it all. I simply couldn't deny the world of such pleasure. It wouldn't be right.

Here are some links should you need to get your cute-on today:

Cute Overload

My Pugs

The Furry Kids

Shih Tzu Love

Okay, I give up. (Like the magnet on my grama's fridge used to declare: "Let go and let God." Okay, well, maybe not that.)

ANYWHO... (I saw "Religulous" this weekend, I highly urge YOU to do the same.)

I am taking a much-needed break from my Powerpointing (which I finished, might I add) AND I thought it'd be fun to put up cute animal blog links. In my searching I discovered that some dog people are creepy. So I gave-up. Instead, I give you more pictures of Jeff (that's Anderson, btw, his mac site is linked on my home page, should you wish to ask for consultation when growing your own mustache or trimming the hair over your ears to achieve the most authentic mullet).

I Miss You My Kitteh

2008-10-01T09:33:00.011-05:00

Tis a picture of my bea-ew-tee-full Tortie Point Siamese cat Nico, who passed-away two years ago this month. She was a fairly young kitteh and a true Siamese original. So, in her honor, I have posted some webcam shots of her. Yes, I was that cheesy, I did have a web cam trained on where she slept so I could watch her from work. I won't lie.

These two pictures may look the same, but no, she moves, ever-so-slightly.

For more pictures of my favorite loud-mouth Siamese check-out my old Mac site on my right nav bar links. You can really smother yourself with Siamese lurve as the two of my cats were all lurvy with each other.

Linkies and I'm Back

2008-09-30T13:46:00.012-05:00

Cool Powerpoint Templates (they FINALLY upgraded me to 2007): Vector Art - Nature Theme

Ever heard of Bar Camps? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcamp

http://www.barcamp.org/

Library Associations: http://www.itcompany.com/inforetriever/assn_us.htm

Helpful Librarian Blog: http://www.librarywebchic.net/wordpress/2008/09/04/wordpress-as-a-content-management-system/

Jerilyn Veldof at Cornell

Jerilyn Veldof on user-based design

The University of MN's blog (it's pretty awesome): http://blog.lib.umn.edu/
Free Web Resources:

http://www.webresourcesdepot.com/

Open Source content management: http://www.opensitesolutions.com/services/education.php#cms

Drupal: http://drupal.org/

"Creating the One-Shot Library Workshop"

Worldcat Local: an article, an example of a school that uses it.

Open Source resources http://sourceforge.net/
Articles to Look For:

Ward, Jennifer L, Steve Shadle, and Pam Mofjeld. "WorldCat Local at the University of Washington Libraries." Library Technology Reports. v.44 no.6 (2008).

Shadle, Steve, Serials Review 34, no. 2, (2008): 85-87

Check-out University of IL, Urbana's site, the search function allows you to search across all of their major tools. Very cool.

If you've not met Winston yet, check out this Blog, this dude lives in my general "hood" as they say. http://fourfour.typepad.com/

Cute Puppy

2008-09-23T12:45:00.000-05:00

Just watch the video.

TGIF and Sprite Zero Rules

2008-09-19T13:04:00.008-05:00

This is a picture of The Ettes from the Bowery Ballroom show the other night. Dig it. The show was grrrreat, but way too short. The venue is a lot like the 2nd St. Entry in Mpls, but nicer. I sorta think it might be a little smaller too, but I'm a horrible judge of distance and size, I admit.

This is a picture of the Swell Season (mentioned them in an earlier blog) the show I went to on Weds in Central Park. By far the best show I've seen in the past couple years, I kid you not. They were fun, funny, and sounded great (except for the one song they used the electronic drum kit/synth because their drummer's unplanned absence). It was dark, I wasn't too far away but getting a decent photo wasn't eazy breezy.

As for this weekend, nothing much to speak of here folks. I might tame my mane, but I fear that if I do, I might lose all my super powers. Plus, somehow I always walk away spending more than I'd planned. I despise getting my hair messed-with. But, then, there grays are a-pokin' thru so in an effort to disguise my rapidly advancing age I may go vain on yer azz and wash that gray right outta my hair.

By-the-by, for youse comic book fans out there, might I recommend a couple books for ya: the new Batgirl Series is kickin' it old school these days, with Cassandra Cain going medieval on her father and her sisters arses.

There is this awes-um new series called "Trinity" featuring Superman, Batman and my girl Wonder Woman and it's very trippy (and action-filled, naturally). I just got in on it and am only on #9, but thus far, very good.

Birds of Prey featured Huntress on her smokin' motorcycle this past issue. But, regardless, the story is good and Oracle is finally going to meet-up with Joker in upcoming issues. Double-true.

And last, but certainly not least, the latest Wonder Woman was not for the younger-set. It looks like WW is falling for another guy (in as much as she is capable, the girl sometimes struggles feeling the depth of feelings as us humans, example in this weeks book: Tom Tresser (that's her lurve interest) says, "I mean, can you even...feel this?" (He says, holding her hand.) WW replies, "No Tom. Not the way you do, I'll admit. But I do feel something." Interpret it as you will. Meanwhile, her mother asks Tom if he's slept with WW yet, he replies in such a way that it's obvious that they've never even kissed. THEN, her mother urges him to get WW prego, "Babies, Good guardsman. As many as you can provide for, as quickly as you may produce them. Babies, babies, babies." Oh, yeah, and Hippolyta makes him an Amazon too. Forgot to mention that...

Okay, back to work girly girl, web pages don't create themselves you know.

Toodles....

Fighting the Urge...

2008-09-17T16:09:00.006-05:00

(Nataliedee.com for the photo above).

I am fighting the urge to dive into the jar of pickles in the office refrigerator (yes, I bought them therefore it's legal to gorge), but I know it stinks, I know I cannot help drinking the pickle juice and that's just embarassing. So, I deny myself the pleasure. The pure salty, garliky, green pleasure. And, I really want a pickled egg. Anyone know where I can get one in NYC?

The pictures from last night's show will be online manana. It was a great show (Hugh Walsh and Markéta Irglová), by the way.

http://www.popgoesthelibrary.com/

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/ (NOT LIBRARY)

http://libetiquette.blogspot.com/ (VERY FUNNY)

http://freerangelibrarian.com/

http://www.handheldlib.blogspot.com/
http://librarianinblack.typepad.com/

http://ricklibrarian.blogspot.com/

http://www.librarywebchic.net/wordpress/
http://www.libraryplanet.com/
http://www.roguelibrarian.com/ (She's local.)

http://www.theshiftedlibrarian.com/

Pickle I own you. You are mine. You must be stopped.

Julianna Hatfield at the Bowery and More...

2008-09-16T13:28:00.003-05:00

I've been trapped in my cube lately, sorry for the delay in keeping up-to-date on my blog.

Here's what I've been up to:
~Obviously I saw Julianna Hatfield at the Bowery Ballroom. The show was great. She is adorable, total girl-crush material for me. But, here's a weird story, on the subway ride (from Williamsburg to Manhattan) to the show this odd-looking, large guitar-carrying dude was in my car on the phone with a friend, or girl friend, arguing, loudly, about being late to meet him/her or some other confusion. Turns out, said guy was Hayden, the opener for Julianna Hatfield, the same guy whose record I'd bought only a couple days earlier (it's good, or "gute" as my very-German grandmother used to say). Since I bought it iTunes, I never got a good looksie at the fella, but it twas him my friends, same dude, same clothes. Funny. No?

~I saw "Towelhead" and was thoroughly intrigued. I highly recommend it if you're okay with Neil LeBute films and films of that nature (examples: "In the Company of Men," "Your Friends & Neighbors," and "The Shape of Things") for there shall be no messing-around, you will, and I mean you will, squirm. Naturally, I loved it.

On tap for tonight:

~The Ettes at Mercury Lounge for a little girl-punk fun.

Some interesting LINKIES I found in my many travels:

~My Julianna Hatfield Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30552038@N07/#photo2863474830

~Creative Commons: A Mashup Organization, or THE mashup organization

~WorldofGoodbyEBAY

Oh, The Places You'll Go

2008-09-11T11:55:00.002-05:00

I'm inspired lately. I am. I'm trying to get out and do and see, rather than work, workout, work some more, oh and sleep when my evil cat let's me. Here are a couple thingees that I've booked tix to see:

I'm going to see a screening of this film ("Gunnin for that #1 Spot" clip above)with Adam Yauch doing a Q & A afterwards at the 92nd St Y. Check it out.

I also am going to see Julianna Hatfield/Hayden at the Bowery Ballroom this fine Friday eve.

After that, the following Wednesday, I'm going to see Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (they go by "The Swell Season") at Rumsey Playfield, Central Park. For those of you who remember the film "Once" will know who I'm talking about.

Also, I'm considering checking out this years New Yorker Festival, particularly Matt Groening/Lynda Barry, Clint Eastwood, Olly Stone, etc.

I gotta get back to work, but check out these events, good times...

2008-09-08T10:04:00.004-05:00

Ahh, the famous Mapplethorpe Bourgeois photograph, how many times have I admired this one. I particularly like her sly smile. I finally saw this work (the piece tucked beneath her arm) in person yesterday at the Guggenheim. It's quite arresting in person, as was the exhibition itself. I won't claim to love (or even like) all of her work. The truth is, I don't connect with the abstract wooden sculptures, but what I love, I lurve (see Woody Allen "Annie Hall"). Watching her tackle such a broad scope of mediums was truly amazing. Some of her work really cuts through the viewer, I not only marveled at her technical expertise (especially in her use of marble and fabric), I could see, from time-to-time how she emotionally guts herself for her work. I admire that endlessly.

Where have I been? Here, there and everywhere. Nope, I didn't leave the city, instead, I treated myself to the touristy pleasures of my stomping grounds.

The lowdown:

~I went to the Bodies exhibit. Truthfully, I wouldn't recommend it. Why? Quite simply, it's very commercial. As much as I may have learned about the human body, I still feel I could've learned more in a less in-your-face sorta way. There was beauty to be found in the circulatory system displays, but the rest of it shouted money-making-machine. First of all, the tickets are very expensive. Secondly, you are not allowed to take photos. Third, the gift shop, oh the gift shop. I also question the portion of the exhibition that featured the babies and pickled fetus' at various stages of development. Finally, I'm still questioning the sources of these bodies. There really wasn't an excellent explanation for where they got their "subjects" or "specimens" or whatever term they used for the bodies. Why did I go? You'd think I wouldn't be interested, given my feelings on viewing dead bodies, but truthfully I thought I'd learn a lot and naively thought that possibly the exhibition's goal was to teach. Not so much. Big regrets. Oh, and the people around me were making tasteless jokes. Not my idea of a good time, but I guess it broke the tension.

~City Sights Bus Tour. This was great. Yes, it was the second time I've done this tour, but my mom was in town and I thought, what better way to see the city and not wear your tenny shoes down to a nub? I always learn something on these tours and being the geek that I am, gathering informational tidbits is always the recipe for a great time.

~US Open. Need I say more? Except, AMEX pretty much owns the open now and as a former employee I must admit, it somewhat sickens me. Still, I have always been a tennis fan so seeing some sweet azz getting handed from one player to another is always joyus. Sadly, the match I saw only lasted 1.5 hrs. Not much bang for my buck.

~Central Park Zoo. Penguins. Seaotters doing handstands. Need I say more?

~Tenement Museum. This museum is fascinating. There are three different tours, I took one, which lasts about an hr. You start with an outside walking tour (of sorts) then they take you into the tenement and that's when the detailed descriptions of the families (two in the case of this tour) begins. The tour guide was very polished and the exhibits were excellent. I cannot wait to go back and do the other two. Highly recommended.

I've been a busy little tourist these days.

I also saw the new Woody Allen movie (whose title I hate and find difficult to say and remember, so I won't). It was excellent. Funny. Quick. And somehow Penelope Cruz makes my girl Scarlet Johanson look ordinary. If you can even believe it.
Double true.

***Editors Note/Update***

Very sneaky sis....see this link, I guess they do reveal that the source of the bodies could be from Chinese prisons, not something they disclosed anywhere in the actual BODIES exhibition. Now I'm feeling duped, big time.

Minneapolis or BUST

2008-08-22T13:14:00.003-05:00

Good news! I was able to find a reasonable flight back to Mpls and get the meetings I wanted to get with the people I want to meet with (awesome sent). So I will be back in Mpls at the end of Sept. I am inspired to work on a research project involving the U of MN and Mpls public library for a while now, but when I heard that MPL and Henn Cty libraries are just now meeting about how to redesign/reorganize/merge their web sites, well then, heh, I am interested to hear more.

Now, I just have to get organized. Learn all I can about these web sites before I get out there. Should be fun folks. Fun indeed.

Hump Ditty-Dump-Day

2008-08-20T08:42:00.004-05:00

This artwork (done in mightly Illustrator, I would guess) is taken from this very funny web site: http://www.nataliedee.com/ And, I posted this in honor of Maddy who stinks so bad right now that she is making my eyes water when I sleep (but oddly, I love it). I got some Kiehl's fancy shampoo and conditioner but have yet to have the time to bathe her. I even bought her a terry cloth bathrobe (yes, I am THAT creepy), but she goes into her dark place after a bath so I have a hard time inflicting such emotional pain on her. Lady just got angry after a bath, but depressed, no.

This girl also has funny friends. Check out these sites as well: http://www.marriedtothesea.com/
http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/ (This one I really love.)
http://rollerchester.com/ (Again, it's her dog, but being somewhat unnaturally addicted to my puppy, I get it.)

Today's observations:

The tattoo on Jeff's calf (the climbing panther) has hitched a ride on two different guys on my commute to work today.

Per AM NY, people in SoHo are whining about the crowds at the SoHo Apple store. Um, too bad, so sad you live in an awesome neighborhood and have to put-up with shoppers and tourists. I feel for you, and not in the Chaka Kahn/Prince good way.

Lastly, just because sometimes we have to ride on trains that have dark nooks and crannies, doesn't mean that you can feel your girlfriend up in front of me. It's too early for that kind of nonsense. Nasty.

More Illustrator fun later, ya'll.

Rock Me Amadeus

2008-08-19T15:10:00.005-05:00

I'm having fun with Illustrator today. I've not yet used the updated Illustrator C3 so today I got a copy and bombs-away! It's been a while, a long while, since I've used Illustrator (3 years) so it's been a fun day. Yippee, me loves you long-time Illustrator. (Geez, quit saying Illustrator already.)

I got lost in Yonkers this past weekend, literally. It was fun though, except the part when I got stuck in 1 hr of Yankees post-game traffic, inched along maybe a qtr mile. Fun it was not. But at least now I know how to get out to the suburbs should the city start closing-in on me.

It's the end of the day and I'm tapped-out. I should really post in the morning, I'm much more zippy then.

Should you have any happening insights into Illustrator, lemme know, I gots to shake the cob webbies outta my brain.

By-the-by, not to crap all over the iPhone, but once again, this gal was right, it's not the purrfect tool (I'm directing this comment at a certain Apple employee, you know who you are). See the latest news article on iPhone fixes gone awry.

Chelsea Puked on My Bed AGAIN

2008-08-14T12:13:00.002-05:00

How purrfect is this sign? I needed a laugh today, so here it is. Should you wish to buy this sign, click HERE.

Remembering Lady

2008-08-14T10:36:00.006-05:00

Today marks the one-year anniversary of Lady's passing. To mark the occassion, I've posted a picture of her here. This photo was taken about a year and a half before she died and shows her in her favorite lounging position. To see more pictures of Lady Madonna click this LINKIE. Also, Jeff created this wonderful photo collage/video of her on his site HERE. And I also video-taped me playing with her, a couple months before she passed HERE. (It's the January 23rd posting, in my blog archives.)

RIP Lady Madonna, April 12, 1994-August 14, 2007

I miss you my boo-boo, every day.

Pamela Anderson's Deep Thoughts

2008-08-13T08:42:00.005-05:00

I sat down and watched an entire hour (!) of Pamela Anderson's new reality show, "Girl on the Loose" last night. I had to. I was a UGE fan of Anna Nicole Smith's reality show on E! (the theme song still rings in my head.."Anna Anna Anna Anna Anna Nicole, she's so outrageous") because, well, I liked Anna Nicole. When I was in college she seemingly came out of nowhere and did those smokin' Guess Jeans ads. She was somewhat original, at that time, a real throwback, with curves with Jane Mansfield overatures (notice how I did NOT say Marilyn, for obvious reasons since no one can compare).

But not Pamela Lee. I hated "Baywatch" about as much as I hated "Saved by the Bell" and all those other trashy mind-numbing 90's shows. And, naturally, Haselhoff makes me wana hurl (hey, yeah, "Wayne's World, Party-Time, Excellent"). Even still, I had to catch a couple episodes, all the billboards here in the city lured me like a month to a flame ("burned by desire, that's the way love goes" says Janet, Miss Jackson if you're nasty). Just call me lyric girl today.

Let's start with the positive, just like we learned in grad school, always praise THEN criticize.

The way it's filmed is unique. I am not a big reality-show fan, they pretty-much tire me, but I've flipped through enough to recognize that this one is attempting to be different and I respect that, in fact, I sorta like it. They do split screens, different angles, grainy film, black and white and seemingly technicolor (or maybe that's just Pam). Kudos. Pamela supports animal rights charities and talks em' up in the show. So, that's a very good thing.

Okay, now the goods. Although Pamela seems like a nice person and all that, but then again, I'd probably put on my best face if someone was trailing me around with a camera (did you ever catch that Lisa Kudro Show "The Comeback" that's what reality TV should be). Wouldn't you? But what kills me is her staff. At one point, one of her drivers said this, "Pamela really bases her opinions on thoughts." Oh, you mean, Pamela Anderson has thoughts? Does she really? Wow. That is amazing. I am so impressed. I don't even have thoughts. My favorite quote from Pamela was "Nudity, what's the big deal?" Anderson asks, "Everybody is naked in the shower." Rrright. Now I'm liberated! Matter of fact, I'm going to take my clothes off right now. Hold on a sec...okay, that was a bad idea, we have a rodent problem here.

Paleze. At least Anna Nicole's show was entertaining in all it's pink feather boa and Girl Smurfy goodness. Pamela in a tub splashing-around spewing her oh-so-deep thoughts into the camera is just plain boring. Simply-put.

Art Linkies Matey!

2008-08-12T08:06:00.005-05:00

I discovered a new magazine (well, new to me), it's called Hi Fructose. So, I've culled some of the linkies for some of the artists, galleries and online stores that I thought were the most fun and/or interesting. I also found some in my favorite art mag, Juxtapoz. Enjoy and happy fishing!

Artists:

KRK Ryden (Mark's bro)

Kukula (the picture featured on this posting): This website is all Flash, so click on the center painting and up pops all kinds of goodies. Excellent site!

Sas Christian and Colin Christian: Amazing, the sculpture has a Murakami surrealistic vibe to it when you see it in person.

Amy Sol: Her work is beautiful and yet sometimes so sad.

Travis Louie: I think this guy is amazing. Both funny and beautiful portraits of very sympathetic creatures of his imagination. I want to be invited to a party and have all of these characters present.

Lori Earley: Excellent web site very befitting of her art. Intoxicating.

Naoto Hattori: His style brings life to these strange creatures. He's a prolific painter and he asserted that, "I consider a painting finished when I see my character 'breathing...;'"

Christopher Polentz: Unique portraits, unreal web site.

Luke Chueh: Violent bunnies predominate. The best kind of bunny, really.

Shawn Barber: Tattooed portraits.

Stuff You Get to Buy if You Have the Coin:

The Giant Peach: Clothes and stuff.

Last Gasp: Where you can fullfill lots of your art book needs, fella.

Sublime Stitching: I am trying to learn how to be crafty.

Sin in Linen: Funky linens, yo.

Hell Kats: If you ever need handcuff earrings, go here (I have).

Fuzzy Balls Apparel: Cute and creepy t-shirts and the like.

Dark Horse: Tara McPherson (I told y'all about her before, back in May methinks) and others have cool products (stationary, books, posters, lighters, etc) put out by this company. Plus comics too!

Galleries:

Excellent Virtu

Think Space Gallery

Roq La Rue Gallery

Last Rites Gallery (This one is in NYC!)

M Modern Gallery

Circus Posterus Art Collective.

Billy Shire Fine Arts

La Luz De Jesus Gallery

And last but not least, NYC's finest: Jonathan Levine Gallery
Enuff's Enuff. That oughta keep you busy for a while.

I'm Angry....

2008-08-11T10:42:00.002-05:00

This is Jeff's cat Chilo in prime form.

See: Patti Smith Dream of Life

2008-08-11T09:24:00.003-05:00

On Friday night I saw the new documentary, ("Patti Smith Dream of Life") of/about/by Patti Smith and director Steven Sebring. It was great. Then, afterwards, Patti Smith and Steven Sebring did a Q & A with the audience. They recorded it for a podcast. Initially, she was only to be attending one screening and doing a Q & A, but now I've noticed they've added four more appearances. So, if you're in NYC, try to check it out, it was a very inspiring experience. Oh, and the sound quality was great.

I also finally checked-out the South Street Seaport. I cannot believe I'd never been down there before. A bit touristy, but a nice oasis away from the noise and flutter of the city. I'm inspired and really want to live there when my lease is finally up.

Homesick

2008-08-07T10:14:00.003-05:00

This video features some of the architectural highlights of my fair city. I'm showing it to you today because I woke-up a bit homesick and then people at work started talking about Thanksgiving and how we have to work and I realized I should just work it because my family is all in Minneapolis. Sniff, sniff. So, I'll probably volunteer.

On a happier note, I found some great web sites for you music fans out there. I don't know about you, but aside from listening to kexp, I really find it difficult to discover new music. Instead, I find myself pawing through re-releases when I'm on iTunes. It's sad, really, because how many versions of "Heart of Glass" does one person really need?

Linkies (discovered with the help of New York Magazine):

Steregum

Pitchfork

And, if you are ever in Mpls, the greatest record store is The Electric Fetus (I even worked there once, in the day-o, daddy-o). It's like the one standing building in a bombed-out village thanks to the genius of Steve Jobs (which I sorta want to bitch-slap sometimes because I used to love to spend my Saturdays thumbing through the goodies at record stores, when I wasn't working at one).

Will You Be My Friend?

2008-08-05T12:41:00.002-05:00

So I'm not too motivated today. Sue me. Sue. Me. Do it. I dare ya.

Be my friend, purty paleze?

I saw "Swingvote" this weekend (two words or one???). And it didn't swing-my-vote enough into loving all over it, but it was alright. It was hot outside so what's a girl to do to beat the heat. Plus, stinking Batman is sold-out solid.

Why-oh-why does this guy from another floor come into our conference room and talk VERY STINKING LOUD on his cell phone. Yeah, he works here, but still. It bugs. I can hear every word he says. Sometimes I feel like people that talk on their cell phones in public think no one else in the world can hear them. Lucky me, I get to hear every bloody detail of their bloody lives. Wankers.

I wish I were British, if I were I could say something like Wanker and really sound cool. Instead, I say it with my prevailing Midwestern long-O and sound stupid.

My Guilty Pleasure Show of the Week is: Army Wives, mostly because I have had a serious crush on Kim Delaney since her All My Children "Jenny" days.

I've been using You Tube as my iPod lately. And, in so doing, I found all these great Japan videos. How totally unbelievably Nick Rhodes-cute is David Sylvian. I met him once, bought used CDS from him when he was married to that nymphette from Prince's G-Bridge days. David loved me. I could tell.

CUNY Schools Take Top Spots in Princeton Review's Best Colleges List

2008-07-31T09:48:00.004-05:00

This video is of a young Jim Morrison when he was at Florida State University, before transferring to UCLA. To verify its authenticity, read this article: State Archives of Florida.

CUNY schools dominate top spots on Princeton Review's list of best colleges in the northeast. Here is what they wrote about Hunter, specifically:

City University of New York--Hunter College Says...

Located in the heart of Manhattan, Hunter offers students the stimulating learning environment and career-building opportunities you might expect from a college that's been a part of the world's most exciting city since 1870. The largest college in the City University of New York, Hunter pulses with energy. Hunter's vitality stems from a large, h...Located in the heart of Manhattan, Hunter offers students the stimulating learning environment and career-building opportunities you might expect from a college that's been a part of the world's most exciting city since 1870.

The largest college in the City University of New York, Hunter pulses with energy. Hunter's vitality stems from a large, highly diverse faculty and student body. Its schools-Arts and Sciences, Education, the Health Professions and Social Work-provide an affordable first-rate education. Undergraduates have extraordinary opportunities to conduct high-level research under renowned faculty, and many opt for credit-bearing internships in such exciting fields as media, the arts, and government. The college's high standards and special programs ensure a challenging education.

The Block Program for first-year students keeps classmates together as they pursue courses in the liberal arts, pre-health science, pre-nursing, pre-med or honors. A range of honors programs is available for students with strong academic records, including the highly competitive tuition-free Hunter CUNY Honors College for entering freshmen and the Thomas Hunter Honors Program, which emphasizes small classes with personalized mentoring by the most outstanding faculty. Qualified students also benefit from Hunter's participation in minority science research and training programs, the prestigious Andrew W. Mellon Minority Undergraduate Program, and many other passports to professional success.

We beat out the hoity-toity schools in the area (um, er, that'd be Princeton, Columbia, NYU for example) which makes this girl, also a product of a public school undergraduate education, very pleased. Read the whole review though, they say some pretty amazing stuff about the other CUNY schools.

You Tube Weirdness and Vlogging

2008-07-30T12:19:00.007-05:00

Have I ever told you my tragic story involving my favorite doll, Mego's Wonder Woman (see youtube-pulled commercial above to acquaint yourself with this fine, fine doll)? I saw that commercial countless times and was a huge Wonder Woman fan (big surprise, right) so I asked for her for my 6th birthday. I'll never forget it. I had my one and only birthday party, which was pretty fun as far as kiddie parties go, that is, until I opened my Wonder Woman doll and pretty much wanted everyone to leave so I could have some "alone time" with my new bff. I loved this doll so much that I broke my coveted rule not to sleep with my dolls (I didn't want to ruin their hair or risk breakage in the event of a late-night rollover), I squished-up against my wall, gave her her own tiny doll pillow (yes, I had many for my Barbie Townhouse) and off to sleep we went. It was pure bliss. That is, until the next morning when I awoke to a sharp digging pain in my lower back. And, to my horror, Wonder Woman was gone. Was she on a mission saving earth? Steve Trevor? Paradise Island? No. Her hand had broken-off and was responsible for the pain in my back, while the rest of her had fallen onto my floor. She was sprawled-out as if dead and I'd had her for less than 24 hours. So, I did what any logical 6 yr old would do, I hid her deep, deep in the bowels of my closet and I never played with her again.

What's the point of telling that story? I don't really have one except to illustrate that youtube has unbelievably random stuff out there. Unreal.

Speaking of random, remember Chris Crocker? That "Leave Britney Alone" youtube web star? It just shows you the power of Youtube. I've been doing some reading about vlogging and enclosed are some links explaining how to set-up your own vlog as well as lists of favorite vlogs. Some people think vlogging will replace blogging which would be pretty sad because quite honestly, there are so many useless vlogs on Youtube (just search "vlog" and you'll see), just as there are useless blogs, but at least blogs you have to use some creativity to write something decent, whereas many of the vlogs I've seen drunk blondes blather on about who's "hot." Anyway, you be the judge.

Linkies:

Information Wants to Be Free www.vlogblog.com
vogmae.net/au/vlog
www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.05/vlogs.html

More Professional Librarian Blogs:

Information Wants to be Free
YALSA
Tame The Web: Librarians and Technology
Librarians Matter
Library Garden
Infodoodads

Here's a video on Library 2.0 that I dig.

Batgirl was a Librarian: A Simple Batgirl Pathfinder

2008-07-29T14:20:00.014-05:00

Enough already! I know that "The Dark Knight" rocks and is kicking the crud outta every movie around, so much so that it's been sold-out pretty constantly here in NYC (or at least, while I'm not at work it's sold out), so I thought to pay a little tribute to Batgirl in the form of...a pathfinder! (And, it's a great tribute because the original Barbara Gordon was a librarian before she was Batgirl and is pretty much a web librarian now as Oracle.)

Those of you non-librarian types out there might not remember what a pathfinder is, but it's merely a list of resources to help students begin their research. But, this one is for fun and I'm going to try to whip-it-out in 45 mins (or less, depending on if any students come to the needing my help).

Character Origins:

Although DC Universe does NOT have a separate listing for Batgirl under their "Heroes & Villains" sections, they do have a listing for "The Birds of Prey" so I'm guessing that's about as close as it gets. Therefore, I'll give you a pretty general overview of the history of the character in a paragraph or less.

She was introduced in 1961 as "The Bat-Girl" and was created by Batman's original creator, Bob Kane. I haven't read any of books with this version of her in them, so I cannot really comment on this version of the character at'tall. I can, however, say that I've read many books with the Barbara Gordon Batgirl character (Comish Gordon's daughter, named after her mutha) (1966-1988) and quite enjoyed them. I read "The Killing Joke" (1988) in the day (need to read again, been on the hunt) when Batgirl gets shot and paralyzed by The Joker and then becomes Oracle (see: The Birds of Prey for continuation of the Oracle character). Then, our favorite bat-girl Huntress takes over for Batgirl in 1999, only for a couple books (I cannot recall how many). Then she becomes The Huntress and has her own books (short story arcs), shows-up in Batman and is currently a regular on The Birds of Prey. My all-time fave is Cassandra Cain, the product of assassin David Cain's loins, therefore complicated, tortured (like all good Batman-related characters should be) and testy. She debuted in a Batman book in 1999 (wearing the previous incarnation's costume), and began her own series 2000-2006. And, now she's back with a six-issue miniseries that you MUST buy (cause I have the first one and it's grrreat).

The Batgirl Pathfinder, Draft One

Books:The DC Comics Encyclopedia (Hardcover)
by Michael Teitelbaum (Author), Scott Beatty (Author), Robert Greenburger (Author)

DC Comics Covergirls (Hardcover)
by Louise Simonson (Author)

The Essential Batman Encyclopedia by Robert Greenberger (Paperback - Jun 10, 2008)

The DC Comics Encyclopedia by DC Publishing

Batman: The Complete History by Les Daniels (Paperback - Jun 2004)

DC Comics : Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes by Les Daniels and President of DC Comics, Jenette Kahn (Hardcover - Oct 1995)

Batgirl: Year One (Batman) by Scott Beatty and Chuck Dixon (Paperback - Dec 1, 2003)

Batgirl Vol. 1: Silent Running (Paperback)
by Scott Peterson (Author), Kelley Puckett (Author), Damion Scott (Author)

Batgirl #1 by Peterson (Comic - 2000)

Web Sites:

Wikipedia: Batgirl (Normally I'm not that into Wikipedia, but for this kind of thing, it's good for external resources and the bibliography lists/foot notes)

Wikipedia: Cassandra Cain

Wikipedia: Barbara Gordon

Batgirl Was a Librarian (this is mostly about librarians, but there are a few bits about Batgirl PLUS it's a fun site and inspired me when I was getting my MLIS)

Okay, so I was trying to keep this post short and failed, but by linking to Wikipedia I basically gave you some of the web sites I've used without listing them all. Tips when searching: I think should you research Batgirl, it's easier if you use her names: Barbara Gordon, Helena Bertinelli, Cassandra Cain and Betty Kane.

If anyone knows of any reputable Batgirl web sites, please send them to me and I'll add them asap.

Editors Note: The photo in this post is a painting by Alex Ross, he's unreal.

Not-so-subtle-note-of-encouragement: Read the Cassandra Cain series, they are probably all in trade paperback (bound volumes with multiple comics in one volume) by now. They are grrrreat!

2008-07-28T11:03:00.002-05:00

I stopped into Goodbye Blue Monday the other night to enjoy a happy hour glass of vino (dirt cheap, cool place) and I shuffled out back to check out the bands playing. Then, who sits down nearby but Phoebe Cates and her husband Kevin Kline. Yes, that is about as random as it gets. Their kids were there also (it was an underage crowd out back) so that must be the reason as they seemed to know everyone. But still. I have had a girl crush on her since "Fast Times" so it was quite cool to see her in person. And yes, she is very pretty, still, and recognizable, no doubt. It was also weird seeing Kevin Kline as I'd watched "The Big Chill" earlier in the week when I was illin' so seeing those folks in person is always a bit odd.

Then, the next day I was pawing through veggies at USQ farmers market and there was good ole' Malcolm McLaren of Sex Pistols/Bow Wow Wow/Adam and the Ants and Sex Shop fame. Double-true.

Today's Linkies:

Work/Library/Technology-Related:
LifeHacker: A Tech Tips Blog. A good one, too.

A Listing and Summary of some choice library blogs.

Fun/Interesting Stuff:

Sioux Falls Animal Humane Society: I really like the way they updated their site, in particular the listing of adoptable pets is an easy to read list and it's very cool that they have accompanying video.

Must go eat, feeling crummy again today. I'll to this list later today.

Hey, That's My Chew! Gimmie!

2008-07-24T11:44:00.002-05:00

Uh oh, here she goes again posting photos of her dog. Yup. She's damn cute so you can't stop me. This one is from Tuesday night, right after I bought her this g-damn nasty azz chew that is solid rawhide on the outside, but the fun surprise is the shaved rawhide bits on the inside. These bits are super fun, they crumble, stink, and coat everything they touch. Oh, what I do for luv.

I'm still a sniffly mess and I'm NOT happy about it. Also, it makes me crabby. Here are my categorized updates.

Subway Yesterday:

Every step of the way yesterday, on each leg of my commute, after the doors closed there were people either preaching or asking for money, always starting-out like this: "Good [morning/evening/afternoon] Ladies and Gentlemen. I don't mean to disturb you but..." and it went from there. Now, I never have cash (a symptom of not banking here, not yet anyway, so I get charged-up the wazoo to withdrawl so I normally get cash by paying a tab with my card and my friends then pay me), so I rarely give people money. But yesterday, being sick and all, I found myself disgruntled by the last person on the 6 at like, what, 8pm last night. I rolled my eyes and sighed. Then, these 20-somethings around me pulled-out crockpots and other containers of food and started handing them over to this guy. Suddenly I realized that in truth, maybe, like Sandler in "The Wedding Singer" "I am an asshole." Lesson to learn here: don't turn into one of those hardened people, everyone has a story to tell. Also, NYers are nice people, just not me yesterday.

What's on Tap for Today:
Me and some friends from work are going to lunch at a fancy foo-foo place up here on the Upper East Side (or UES as they say on CL or Craigslist). It's NYC restaurant Week and I thought sure, when else can I afford fine-dining? I'll post a full-review after I gorge.

Not much else is a-happening-hot-stuff for me today EXCEPT, some dude name Joshua (um, k) called me a "Troll" in a line of blog comments today. I beg to differ. But hey, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, no? I haven't heard anyone called a troll since my mid-90's AOL days. Those were the good old days in dial-up evil chat rooms.

Linkies:

Mashable's Guide to Conferences and Events (There are some Web 2.0 events.)

Friendfeed (Track yer pallies by creating an account. I aint got no friends so it's useless to me.)

A NYT article on the deadly dog flu. What's funny about this (if there is such a thing) is that none of the local news stations here in the city gave much detail on this. Basically, they said there's a dog flu and it's catchy and don't let yer dog near a coughing and hacking dog (duh, who does that) and that if your dog keeps coughing for three (!) weeks, take them to the vet. I dunnon bout' chew (Willis) but when Maddy got kennel cough it took two days of coughing before I took her in. Also, why not tell me what could happen? Is it fatal? Typical. But, this article does a decent job of putting things into perspective. Fear-based media, why I oughta....

Top Ten Reasons I Want to be Mary Tyler Moore (circa the MTM Show)

2008-07-23T22:27:00.009-05:00

Yes, my jaw in that shot makes me look a) fat b) like Minnie Driver, neither option is good. I am so NOT photogenic nor am I awake enough to play the replace-my-face Photoshop game (didn't even try to match skin tones, so be it).

Top Ten Reasons Why I Wish I Were Mary Tyler Moore as the character she played on her 1970's series.

1. One word: Spunky

2. Purrfectly nummy hair and wardrobe (on the first three seasons anyway) and oh-so-1970's thin.

3. I want people to call me "Mare" instead of Mary (which means I'd be called "Dane" which wouldn't be cool).

4. How I long to utter the words, "Oh Lou!"

5. Rhoda was a real WTF bff and I could use someone like her dropping in on me all the time (plus, dig the scarves she wrapped around her noggin).

6. Love the apartment. The sunk-in bed reminds me of John Lennon's apartment in "Help."

7. She's single and loving every minute of it (single women in the world unite) but still dates some fuglys.

8. Let's Murray go on pretending he isn't gay (that Mare sure is a nice gal).

9. Seriously, was a role model for Oprah, now if that isn't enough.

10. SHE LIVES IN MY HOMETOWN!!!!!! (I'd move back in a second, I miss ya Minneapolis!)

The only downer, crappy job. A producer for a go-nowhere show? Huh? I dig my gig as a librarian, wouldn't give it up for the world (fist bump to all you librarians out there, you know you agree).

Thanks to www.hulu.com for reminding me how much I love this show. (And, did you know Husker Du does a cover of the theme song. Yah, huh, fer real.)

Librarian Blogs in Review

2008-07-23T15:06:00.008-05:00

Yes, that is a picture of Mary from "It's a Wonderful Life" as a spinster librarian. Oh, how sad....

The Linkies:

The Good:
The Shifted Librarian
Unlike other blogs with the words library or librarian in their titles (I'll get to those later), this one actually stays on-topic. When asked to define what a "Shifted Librarian" is the author, Jenny Levine writes, "So I call myself "The Shifted Librarian," but what does that mean? I took the name from a presentation that I do called "Information Shifting" about how the change from pursuing information to receiving information is and will be affecting libraries." I've been reading this one since library school, she really does a great job of introducing new and interesting technologies. If nothing else, take a look at the links on the right-sidebar, (under "Virtual Jenny") they'll help the beginning blogger get started.

The Annoyed Librarian
I like this blog because its purpose is quite clearly stated, "Whatever it is, I'm against it." She refers to herself in the third-person and asserts in the most recent post that "Occasionally I think about the purpose of this blog, and based on the last couple of posts, I'm pretty sure I know. One purpose of the AL is to let librarians vent in the comments, to provide a forum for open discussion and argument. This is of course one of the things that has always bothered my critics. For people who claim not to take anyone seriously who writes anonymously, some of my critics sure seem to get their knickers in a twist about this blog." I believe there is value in our profession, as it is in ALL professions, to have a place to vent. Often, in doing-so, we learn how to do things better and feel good all at the same time. Bravo. Plus, sometimes the posts are very funny.

The Lipstick Librarian
I'm a fairly new reader to this one, but she's entertaining and offers some interesting insights (as well as rants, some with naughty not-safe-for Tipper Gore's ears language). Decent links throughout.

Librarian.net
This is another blog I've been reading for a while. The author, Jessamyn West, is a decent writer who always turns me onto issues and provides links to articles in the profession that otherwise I don't always spot in my normal reading/research life. She makes it easy for me to pop-in and out of hot topics and tends to also keep her posts brief and entertaining. Isn't that what topic-specific blogs should do? Methinks so. Yes. I also like her use of Youtube.

The Unquiet Librarian
She's gets crazy with the multi-media but I like. She (don't know the author's name, cannot easily find a profile) inspires me to add new media to my library's blog (but first, we must rebuild it, then they will come).

Take a look at the 2007 Edublog Awards for Best Library/Librarian Blogs HERE.

www.librarystuff.net
Just found it. I read today's article, very interesting but the posted linkies are wrong-o-daddy-o.

Library Web Chic
This one speaks to what I do for a living. Probably my favorite of these types of subject-specific blogs.

Librarian in Black
Also real specific for my j-o-b.

Not Always on-Topic but Worth Taking a Looksie:
The Kept-Up Academic Librarian
I just discovered this one so a review is pending...prolific though. Oh, but not always on-topic, still interesting.

Librarian Avengers
This is a new discovery for me. The author, Erica Olsen, is a User Experience Designer for Second Life (!) but was previously at Cornell in what appears to be in a role working with their digital recordings library, that part is a bit unclear. Either way, although mostly NOT about librarianship, there are spatterings here and there and the technology posts are certainly useful to us Web Librarians (that'd be me, y'all). I am interested in SL and she also offers links to resources, blogs, web sites, etc, that us librarians can dig. Oh, and she has a sense of humor. Rare.

The Tattooed Librarian
I like this one not only because I'm a tattooed librarian, but also because she (I think) has a lot of funny posts that don't really have much to do with librarianship, but make me snicker. Oh, and now and again she throws me a professional tid-bit.

The Travelin Librarian
This one I've been reading for a while, mostly because the author, Michael Sauers, wrote a scathing post abot a presentation I gave when I was very green in the profession. I also love the unique Nebraskan angle he gives to his posts. I think it's too cluttered, way, way, way, too cluttered, and when he's not posting about useless things like how many Starbucks are closing in Nebraska (must be earth-shattering to them, I surmise) he does sometimes offer-up interesting technologies and their possible uses in libraries. I just wish he wasn't so humorless, it could be so much more fun to read. Either way, I urge you to take a looksie.

The Effing Librarian
So the author of this blog commented for this post so I checked it out and it tis quite funny, ew, la, la. I hadn't heard of it previously, which is surprising because it looks to me like this fine, disgruntled (is that how you spell that word, I'm too sick and tired to spell check) fella is quite amusing. I also like that he refers to his language as "salty" in the profile, I haven't heard that phrase since my grandmother used it when I was a wee wittle girly goo.

That's all for now. My schnaze (as my dad refers to his nose) is running all over the place so I must mop-it-up (not "Lick it up," as Veronica told Heather #1 in "Heathers" after she puked all-over the hallway during the Frat house party). I digress.

Over and, sneeze, out.

Final Note (10:30pm): Here in mighty Brooklyn the rain, thunder and lightening is making my two animal companions quiver and I'm not far behind. What am I? Three? Nope, still sickly and feeling tender (and not in a good way). Rain, rain, go away, come again another...

I Peel Tick

2008-07-22T11:36:00.006-05:00

I feel like this dog looks. But the previous two days I couldn't move from the sofa. What a mess. And what's worse is that it took hold, or at least started to, on Saturday night during Yaz I started to feel light-headed, VERY light-headed. Blows. Chunks. Oh well, I'm human so what do you do? I don't have a great tolerance for sickness and I think I know why. I got this angry vmail from my mother asking why I treat her like such, shall we say, crud, to be nice. Now, admittedly, I was incredibly busy last week and had planned to phone her this weekend, but then I got sick so I haven't called anyone. Not really. Text. Yes. Calls. No (ain't got no voice sir).

Anywho. So I emailed her letting her know I was down for the count. She doesn't reply. Worried that I may have the wrong email address (it happens, I was on my Crackberry) I called her and that conversation went something like this:

Me: Did you get the email I sent? I'm sick which is why I haven't called you back.
Her: Yeah, it was a horrendous day at work, sorry I didn't email you back. What did you do to get yourself sick?
Me: What? I'm to blame for being sick?
Her: Well no, but you must be running yourself down. Are you eating right? Sleeping enough? Taking your vitamins?

Good grief.

To any of the concerned out there, yes, I am feeling better today. I'm no longer making deals with God I cannot keep. I have stopped forcing my dog to cuddle with me when she'd clearly rather bite the hair off of my cat's ears. I showered.

But still, doesn't getting sick in the summer just suck? For some reason it's far worse than getting sick in the winter, I don't know why. I guess because it's so nice outside and here you are laying in a pool of your own stink. The only saving grace was/is that it's so dreadfully hot and humid outside that being indoors isn't such a bad think (says me with a stuffed-up nose). Right?

Today's Links: Library Websites that Stand Out (per my colleagues here at the library, thus, these are not my comments, just paraphrasing theirs)

http://www.library.phila.gov/ Good usability and the interface design is broken-down into three simple categories.

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/index.html The main page is good, decent color-scheme, easy to understand. The underlying pages not-so-much.

http://www.library.umass.edu/index.html Good colors and interface design. The five most commonly-used links stay in place on all pages in the gray section.

http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/ Good "Featured Link" and "Did You Know" links. Scrolling news announcement at top also eye-catching.

http://www.library.miami.edu/

http://www.lib.washington.edu/

http://www.library.northwestern.edu/ Drab colors, decent architecture.

A FINAL NOTE: Liz Phair's "Exile in Guyville" just had it's 15th (!!!!!!!) anniversary and there is a special edition out now. Check it out. If you don't already have the record, oh, the horror. What's lame is that Liz Phair is doing the music for "Swingtown" a guilty pleasure for me, but man, Liz, I thought you were going to change maybe not the world, but something. (I'm listening to Exile now, still as great as ever.)

Getting Crazy with the Cheese Whiz: Maddy's New Haircut

2008-07-17T08:50:00.008-05:00

I am back with a vengence (not really). Sioux Falls was, well, Sioux Falls but I wasn't there to visit the town, I was there to visit a person (which is none of your bees wax). So there.

The magic behind the picture
When I took this picture I taunted Maddy with the following words to get her to cock her apple-head like that: "Madd-eee, come-on my little girl-eee, Mad-dad-dad-eee" and I ended it with a high pitched, "Are you my bunny?" and that is when the camera went click.

I'm dragging today. I had to work the desk until 9pm last night and be back here at 8:30am. Mercy me. I'm so hurtin' I had to order a venti tub-o-latte (that I let get cold, no less, not used to such a large latte I didn't time my swilling right). Oh, and, I'm at the desk again and agreed to do three hours today. I'm tough. The best part of last night, though, was that I didn't get one, not-a-one reference question. Why I oughtta...

When I got on the train yesterday during my morning commute it was hotter than the devil's armpit in there, I thought I was going to yak. Instead, I focused all my attention on the commuter seated directly across from me (much like the way you're supposed to focus on an object when you give birth (see the film "She's Having a Baby," you remember that scene in the hospital with Kevin Bacon blocking the bunny statuette when Eliz was having contractions, funny stuff). Let me describe him: he was in his early 30's, was wearing khaki shorts, black socks, off-brand Converse-esque type shoes, a short sleeved dress shirt, pens in the pocket, carrying a scuffed-up leather briefcase. Oh, and on his forearm was a giant portrait tattoo of Madonna. No. Not the virgin. Madonna Cicconne. Huh? It was his only tattoo, but it was good and was so detailed I caught it all from across the aisle. He must really like Madonna. I mean, I like Madonna, I do, but not that much. That type of committment I reserve for marriage (not that I'd get a spousal portrait, but you get the jist). From time-to-time I hate on Madonna. Right now, as a matter of fact, she's on my list. Why? Okay, for starters, the new record, not that good. Then, there's the INSANE (in the membrane, sorry, couldn't resist) ticket prices for her new show. I saw her for the Confessions tour and thought I dropped a bundle (close to 200 clams a ticket), but now it's closer to 400 clams for the same seats, at the Garden, no less. Sorry, but us normal people cannot fork out that much dough for a show that lasts less than 1 1/2 hours, do the math, it just ain't worth it maam. Plus, the accompanying videos for the new record are boring. Ya hear that Madge, B-O-R-I-N-G. So no, I wouldn't commit to Madonna the way my subway dude did because laser surgery still leaves a faint shadow. Now Marilyn Monroe, well you know I would and I have. She's my girly girl.

Today's Linkies are blogs of people who I wish were my friends (or at least would go out for one cocktail with me, just one because I'm a lush now):

http://raining-noodled.blogspot.com

http://jihky.blogspot.com/

http://julia.typepad.com/

http://serializer.net/comics/micrographica.php

http://blog.ninapaley.com/

http://www.theoldhag.com/

http://www.elguapodc.blogspot.com/

http://www.upsaid.com/eurotrash/

http://www.gofugyourself.celebuzz.com/

http://www.francisstrand.blogspot.com/

~No sleep til Brooklyn (ain't that the truth)~

Murakami in Brooklyn and Librarians Punked

2008-07-09T10:02:00.003-05:00

I made it to the Murakami show at the Brooklyn Museum of Art by the hair of my chiny-chin-chin and I must say, the long commute was well-worth it. Jeff was able to sneak a couple photos in the gallery using his mighty iPhone, until he got caught and stopped. So here is one of my favorite sculptures, a piece I'd seen for the first time at the show that really opened me up to a whole new art scene, Let's Entertain at The Walker Art Center back in 2000. It's amazing in person, so beautiful yet grotesque. The show at BMA was quite a happening, the galleries with gigantic paintings and clusters of sculptures were jammed with people ewwing and ahhing. I was among those people. It's hard to believe Murakami is only a couple years older than me and he's accomplished so much. Made me feel like a bit of a chump.

The only bummer: the Louis Vuitton shop set-up right as you left the gallery selling "exclusive" bags Murakami designed. Always. Lame.

On another note, I was turned-on to an interesting debate regarding Google using us Librarians to further their evil empire (dontcha just love those words together, evil and empire, very Star Wars of me). Read the following posts and decide for yourself. I'm somewhat conflicted and need to marinate on the whole debate before issuing an official statement.

Steven Cohen's Library Stuff Blog posting, How Google Used Librarians ang Got Away with It.

Steven Bell's Nice Infomercial, Google, in Library Journal.

Sarah Houghton Jan's Google Punked Us, on her librarianinblack.net blog.

Weigh in all...

As for me, this'll be my last post for several days as I'm going back to Sioux Falls, SD to say goodbye to that fair state for good and to tie-up a couple loose ends (anyone want to buy my scooter, lemme know). Think of me in the great prarie once again, tipping cows and rustling sheep.

Toodle, do, all.

Six Degrees of Separation from Diana Prince

2008-07-07T08:54:00.005-05:00

I splish-splashed through the rain on Saturday and finally made it to the Superheroes exhibit at the Met. It was grrreat! I plan to go again and maybe even again. The big thrill for me, of course, was seeing the Wonder Woman costume worn by the goddess Linda Carter from the famed 1970's series. It was about as close to meeting the Amazon Princess I think I'll ever get (suspension of disbelief here people, of course I know comic book heroes are not real people, but I'm reliving my childhood here so let's just go with it). There were a few surprises from the exhibit (btw, I plan NOT to talk about the fashion aspect on this post, I will get into that after I see the show again and have more time to get past the thrill of seeing the costumes). The first, of course, was the WW costume. Ms. Carter had a striking figure, that much I could ascertain from just one viewing (albeit lengthy viewing, apologies to all those standing behind me as I planted myself, tree-like, in front of the display). Also, as you can tell from this photo (which I didn't take, too fearful of the "No photos!" scolding I often hear when snapping pictures at shows) that the blue turned to purple, I guess it faded. Otherwise, the costume is as great as I thought it would be, much better than the plastic crap I bought at Kmart year, after Halloween year, of my portrayal of the mighty princess.

I also got to finally see Wonder Woman #1, Sensation Comics, for the first time ever (again, I was rooted in place, examining every last detail). It was thrilling, it was, I admit.

As for other highlights (spoiler alert to you Batman fans): the costume worn by Christian Bale in the upcoming Batman flick. It was great. It looked like rubber (which some of it had to have been, for sure the mask) but neither rubber nor plastic were listed as materials. But it was very cool, very interesting. I saw the nicks on the utility belt as well as the scuffs on the boots (his feet are sorta small) telling signs of its use in the film, it looked used.

Another cool costume was the Superman/Christopher Reeves from the first film, two Spidy costumes (one black, the other red) which had zippers along the rib cage, but were otherwise spandex (that Toby M, is a smallish fellow). Oh, and the Iron Man suit, I don't know how Robby could move around in that thing, he must've stood completely still. Finally, Catwoman, now, I'd seen one before when I was in L.A. around the time that film came out, but this was one that was ripped-up looking so it was very fun to picture tiney, tiney Michelle P, crawling around in that thing. That woman is so small she's child-like.

Art, all of it is, was and forever shall be art as far as I'm concerned.

Link to the show: Superheroes

Chilling Evidence of the Shih Tzu Revolution

2008-07-04T11:35:00.002-05:00

Check out this site: http://www.obeythepurebreed.com/

Happy 4th of July

2008-07-03T12:27:00.010-05:00

Happy day before the 4th of July!

Have you ever written what you think to be an excellent post and then, instead of clicking on the mighy "Publish Post" button, you, out of habit, hit the back arrow? No. You're too smart to do something like that. Apparently I'm not and did just that. Idgit.

Today's Stupidest Person of the City Award Goes to:.....
The woman who let her dog walk on the escalator stairs only to get his paw and tail jammed into the angry teeth of the escalator because he didn't know how escalators work (something that was crammed down my throat when I was a kid, "If your shoelaces get caught in those teeth you could lose your foot" my sister always warned me). Apparently the dog's high-pitched screams could be heard in the library. Can you imagine? What kind of smarts does it take to know NOT to let your dog accompany you on an escalator unless held? Especially a tiney tiny one.

As for the dog, luckily he gets to keep his paw and tail but was cut-up. The woman, well, she lost her brain (if she even had one) a long time ago to do something that idiotic. I fear for that dog's future.

Today's Linkies:

http://www.accrediteddldegrees.com/2008/100-awesome-youtube-vids-for-librarians/ This one is good for us librarian-types.

Explore Jamestown VA

Test Drive a VW from Your Desk

Art Institute of Pittsburgh (I like this concept)

My Pregnancy Pregnancy information presented in a cool way.

http://ydouthink.com/ Release your inner artist.

Local.com Search Engine (sort of)

Play a Spelling Bee game

Going GREEN was never so much fun.

Another crazy interactive site, click around on easter eggs to explore/unlock hidden areas.

It's so cute it must be stopped. It's a game but also a great marketing ploy.

Ew, ahhh....

Who's Yer Bunny?

2008-07-01T12:16:00.004-05:00

Maddy is my bunny. Fer ser.

I'm web updating today so no linkies to share, but to make-up for it I've enclosed a picture of my puppy in a Sherpa on the subway, she's rip-roaring and ready to go.

Linkies

2008-06-25T10:02:00.003-05:00

This would be great if we could do this same thing in our library:

http://zoomii.com/

A Hunter Blog.

It's Lesbian Pulp Fiction Wednesday

2008-06-25T09:07:00.005-05:00

I got this book free at work and knew it was to be my next subway read. It's original publication date was 1950 and is credited to be the first pulp to address a lesbian relationship. It's author, Tereska Torres, fictionalized her experiences in the French women's barracks during WWII. It sold 4 million copies when it was published and it was denounced as "obscene" by the House Senate Committee on Current Pornographic Materials in 1952, but never actually banned.

There is a very intersting interview with the author at the end which took place in 2004. The first sentence of the novel reads: "When the war began, I was in my last year of school at the convent of St. Celestine." Good times...

Here are some links if you care to learn more:

http://www.powells.com/biblio?isbn=155861494X
http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1888785

I Kilt a Firefly

2008-06-24T08:06:00.006-05:00

I feel horrible. I killed a firefly because I thought it was a Boxelder bug. Stupid. I know. He was walking around the backsplash in my kitchen and I guess he got in Sunday night when I had the back door open during the rain. I was sitting outside and a flurry of Fireflys came into my back yard, it was like magic. There are few bugs that I get in a twist over and Fireflys top that list. I was one of those kids that never put them in a jar or smashed them on my arm to see the glow. I just let them be, flying haphazardly around without grace but purposeful. I realized it was a Firefly when I was squashing him he lit up. I was instantly filled with regret. It reminded me of the moment in the D.H. Lawrence's poem "The Snake",

And immediately I regretted it.
I thought how paltry, how vulgar, what a mean act!
I despised myself and the voices of my accursed human education.

Moving on.

I was reading The New York Times Book Review this morning on the train and was very interested in the Andre Dubus III review of his novel "The Garden of Last Days." It's a follow-up to his novel "House of Sand and Fog," a novel that I read (and saw the film) and renamed it, "House of Death and Sorrow." Don't get me wrong, I like this novelist (loved his father, after much hardship of getting him crammed-down my throat in grad school), but the comments this book got from the reviewer reminded me of many of the comments I got on my first thesis from my committee. It reminded me that writing is damn difficult, even for a guy like Dubus III. I particularly loved the last line of the review, "Journalism needs only to tell us what happened; fiction, which deals in hypotheticals, has a higher threshold of truth." Exactly.

The other review that caught my eye was "Notes on a Life" by Eleanor Coppola. Fancying myself a bit of a life documentarian (of my life, naturally), it was interesting to discover how her work reads. I saw the documetary "Hearts of Darkness" and found it riviting, in fits and starts, and a bit long in other portions, but interesting overall. In reading reviews I find writing lessons litered throughout the texts (sometimes reading book reviews is more valuable than reading the actual book being reviewed), in this review, Sarah Kerr writes, " Coppola is an observer, and her method here has changed less than you might expect. But a life is no easy thing to pull into focus." That line made me pause and consider what I'm writing now (a memoir, but of course) and how I struggle to pull into focus the last three years of my life (which is my time-frame). Next chapter up: my time at mighty South Dakota State University. Watch-out, here I come, but I promise to steer clear of the Fireflys, they're my thwarted friends, after all.

Today's links: http://www.blogher.com/
http://www.chickchatradio.com/index.php/main/about/

Daily Coyote

Links to Fun Interactive Sites

2008-06-23T13:08:00.003-05:00

Yes, that is a baby stroller. Cool,eh?

http://www.nikon.com/about/feelnikon/universcale/index.htmSee scale as never before.

http://snowflakes.barkleyus.com/Make a snowflake.

http://www.reasonablyclever.com/mini/Make your image in plastic.

http://musicovery.com/index3.php?ct=usCool interactive radio (and you can buy tunes there as well).

http://www.neave.com/television/Most likely the coolest website I've ever seen. You click on the screen and it turns the channel of at TV, but the channels (programs) are so random. Perfect for my ex-husband.

http://www.zefrank.com/byokal/kal2.htmlBuild your own kaleidoscope. Very fun.

http://www.beonlineb.com/click_around.htmlCreate your own music video.

http://www.mrpicassohead.com/create.html?skin=originalCreat your own drawing.

http://www.deathonline.net/movies/mm/autopsy.cfmIt's an interactive autopsy.

http://www.freedocumentaries.org/

The Heart of the Matter

2008-06-20T09:01:00.003-05:00

Lately I have dealt with two what I would consider ethical issues and for those of you who read my blog I'd love it if you could comment or reply to these. I want to know if I'm being unreasonable here because sometimes I tend to over-react.

Issue #1:Someone hits my new car, rear-ends it, and at the time of the accident admits guilt in person, calls his mother and also admits guilt to her. The accident happens on private property so all the police do is note the damage. Also, there were not any witnesses. When it comes time to report the accident the kid says my car "flew" into his and he was at a stand-still. HE LIES. It's my word against his and even though he admitted guilt at the time (and, um, my car was rear-ended) nothing can be done. He lies, benefits, I tell the truth and am out the $500 deductible to fix my car. Do I take him to Civil court to recover my costs or just chalk it up to bad luck and I guess the simple fact that I don't get to own a vehicle without someone damaging, destroying or stealing it?

Issue #2:I forget to deauthorize my iTunes account on my iMac at SDSU (my old job) before I move out here. Somehow a gift certificate is purchased using this account (I had the "remember my password on this computer" enabled on that machine, dummy) and was sent to the general email account all of us in reference used (that's about ten or so people). A former co-worker of mine opened the email and clicked on the "Redeem Now" button and redeemed the gift certificate (oh, it was for $100). Now said co-worker said when they opened the email it "just downloaded automatically" but that isn't how iTunes works, you must hit the "Redeem Now" button to redeem (I even called iTunes to verify and know people who work at Apple to confirm that there isn't/wasn't another way). Because this gift certificate was redeemed I have no way of cancelling the order. And apparently there is no way for that money to get gifted back to me. Now my bank won't credit my acct (they did initially but after the investigation they cannot prove fraud since the gift certificate was redeemed). The individual who redeemed the gift certificate refuses to reimburse me as it wasn't their "fault." So, that makes me $100 poorer and them $100 richer. What do you do in that instance? Should I even have expected a reimbursement? I think yes, what do you think? I guess if it was me on the other side, downloading the gift certificate, I'd volunteer to reimburse because I use iTunes and would eventually use the money anyway (although not budgeted, I realize) and because I shouldn't have downloaded the thing in the first place since it wasn't addressed to me by name (the to and from lines both had my name on them). I think it's the right thing to do. Simply put.

Weigh in all.

Links

2008-06-19T15:10:00.000-05:00

http://www.iliketotallyloveit.com/
http://psychcentral.com/
http://wikitravel.org/en/Main_Page
http://answers.yahoo.com/
http://popsugar.com/
http://www.thenest.com/
http://www.geni.com
http://www.mapjack.com
http://www.nextag.com/
http://www.picnik.com/
http://www.pixelgirlpresents.com/
http://beta.searchme.com/
http://www.urbandictionary.com/
http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/index.php
http://www.modernfeed.com/welcome.htm
http://www.imeem.com/
http://www.kongregate.com/
http://ffffound.com/
http://www.someecards.com/
http://www.gaiaonline.com/
http://www.carbonrally.com/
http://www.colourlovers.com/
http://digitalvaults.org/
http://www.opensourcefood.com/

Links

2008-06-06T10:34:00.005-05:00

Wired

How Stuff Works

Slate

Epicurious

Good Things

Hearty Beef Bowl

The Whale Hunt

Indexed

Book Glutton (like this layout)

Cooper-Hewitt (simplicity and functionality)

Smithsonian (cubes and simplicity, bold)

National Archives, Video Vaults (see what technology can do)

Designing Interactions (Another Simple Design)

Skull a Day

Paper Critters (fun)

Passive Agressive Notes (just for fun)

Stiches

Cute Overload

Bad Gift Emporium

Happy Kreg Land (look at masthead)

Janet Klein (cool)

Girls Who Wear Glasses (like the simplicity)

Mimi (retro Art)

Retrolounge (like the logo)

Sniffy (icons)

Very Big Design

Retro Jane

Chip Wassaco

Vintage Swank

Rotodesign (fonts)

Examples

Squidoo

Search Engines Galore

2008-06-05T15:52:00.006-05:00

General:

Brainboost

Clusty

Excite

Turbo 10

Web Crawler

Metacrawler

myriad

Kyak

Mamma

Ask.com

Gigablast

Librarians' Index

MSN

Dogpile

Wikiasearch

To Find People:

Spock

Explode.us

Wink

Zabasearch

zoominfo

Blogs:

http://www.bloglines.com/

Blogscopes

Icerocket

Sphere

Technorati

Code:

Google Code Search

Learning Stuff:

Link One

Link Two

Link Three

Validator One

Validator Two

GRRR.... I'm Maddy's New Haircut

2008-06-03T15:32:00.001-05:00

http://weblibrarians.ning.com/

This is Planet Earth...

2008-06-02T10:03:00.003-05:00

I came, I went, I saw. It was a great time. The picture above shows our boys Duran Duran in this weird line-up they did, which was admittedly three parts cheesy, one part pretty damn cool. Notice Simon, what's that, yeah, you are correct sir, he's playing a guitar (not in this actual shot, but believe me, it happened). Odd. I know.

AnyWHO it was a great time, my friends, and despite my advanced years I danced like Molly Ringwald in "The Breakfast Club" and have absolutely no regrets. You know what, girls just wana have fun. So there.

I am here to urge you to go to some of these reunion shows (not New Kids on the Block though, that is just wrong since they blew in the day anyway) because they can be a riot. Also, Duran Duran, I discovered, are really good musicians and sounded great live. The only downside: Simon Lebon has no rhythm. He dances like GWBush in that footage with the African dudes. NOT cool Simon. Follow John Taylor's lead, that boy and his bass guitar have rhythm. Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT, do that pointing thing you do during "A View to A Kill" or that criss-crossed arms move during "Wild Boys" (two songs I could happily live without, but were wildly popular).

Please, Please, Tell Me Now...

2008-05-29T08:16:00.004-05:00

Yes, that is a poster by Tara McPherson of a Duran Duran show. Yes, I love Tara McPherson and would kill get this poster. HEre's the link: http://www.posterpop.com/ This site has a TON of posters by artists I love (or "lurve" if you're Woody Allen). I'm seeing Duran Duran in Central Park tommorrow so I'm trying to get back in the mood. I never really thought I'd be one of those people who go see all their old favorite bands (like the shows you see on TV, like on Oprah of David Cassidy or Rick Springfield and all these middle-aged women with mom-haircuts screaming and holding glitter signs) but in truth, I am 37 which is a stone's throw away from 40 so I must embrace my past. "Live it, learn it, love it." Sans the mom-haircut, front-butt and glitter sign. Still, that first Duran Duran record holds up, even the second, but the third, not so much. Oh John Taylor, make me feel young again...

Summer session is on and it's slow at work, which is the most excellent time to get other stuff done. Thank YOU summer session.

What's the grossest thing that happened to you yesterday? Here's mine: sitting on the sofa after eating a mighty fine salad for dinner and up pops Maddy, with a new rawhide jammed in her jaw. Impressed as I was that she could jump-up on the sofa with a rawhide bigger than her in her clutches, I scutchied over a bit and let her snuggle in all close. Within a few minutes I noticed a pooesque aroma whose origin I could not decifer. I got up, did a full inspection of my apartment, and found nothing. I concluded that the massive rawhide produced a gaseous response from Maddy and left it at that. That is until I was chatting happily on the phone and in mid-conversation I became doggedly in pursuit of the mysterious aroma, I lifted Maddy's tail and to my horror discovered a smashed poo pile, moist and fairly fresh. I suppose when I let her out when I got home she pooed and thus deposited part of her pile into her fur. NOT COOL. My dear Maddy got yet another bath (a picture for a later post) using my lovely Aveda products (I really should buy her doggie shampoo I suppose, I mean, I'm not made of moola). I wrapped her up in her robe (YES, I did buy her the cutest terry cloth robe for xmas, weird, but very useful, this way she just nuzzles and dries). So, that my dear non-existant reader, is my tale of grossness at the hands of my beloved mongrel. Lesson for the day: If it smells like poo, it probably is.

Fun Links

2008-05-13T15:37:00.004-05:00

http://other90.cooperhewitt.org/

http://www.sorryoutofgas.org/

http://www.digitalvaults.org/#

http://www.bookglutton.com/

http://www.imvu.com

http://www.colourlovers.com/

http://dynamic.abc.go.com/streaming/landing

http://laughingsquid.com/

http://manbabies.com/

http://www.designobserver.com/

http://awards.goodthingsshouldneverend.com/

http://thewhalehunt.org/

http://www.dreamit-doit.com/

http://www.pigsanonymous.com/

http://www.startheregoplaces.com/

http://www.kelloggs100.com/

http://www.howstuffworks.com/

http://www.cuteoverload.com/

http://www.boingboing.net/

This is Funny

2008-05-13T12:34:00.001-05:00

To see more: http://www.serializer.net//comics/asofterworld.php

And this too: http://www.ironicsans.com/

TC is My Homeboy

2008-05-07T12:04:00.000-05:00

Lately, I've been taking a count of how many times, and from what walks of life, people hawk up and shoot giant flem globbers out of their gobs. Today, so far, thrice, one a worker/construction dude, one a hipster. Yesterday, four times, two suits, one gangsta, one average guy. SERIOUSLY. That is effin' Ga-Rooosss. I have a dog and that is why I am very particular about where I walk her. VERY. What's wrong with people?

Also, and I know this is trivial, but sometimes I just want people to get out of my way. Last night, I missed a train at Canal because this couple in front of me had to walk veeerrrryyyy slow. I missed it by a hair. MOVE OUTTA MY WAY! Now, it doesnt' take a fly (who I guess have lots of eyes or somethin') or a lizard (lots of those dinosaur-descendants have very flexible eyes) to know (or, see) that someone is walking close to you and up on you. Step aside, let said person pass. How do these people get to where they need to go in a reasonable amount of time? Or, do they just build their sloth-like transportation skills into their allotted commute time? Dunno. What I do know is that I would greatly appreciate it if they would just MOVE. Pretty soon I'm going to start tasering people. Double true.

I went to bed early last night. But, not before I watched part two of the Tom (his friends like ugly Jada Smith and her hubby call him "TC") Cruise interview on Oprah. I was curious in that car crash must look sorta way. It was boring. He was all best behavior and everyone was tonguing his crack. I prefer crazy, laughing inappropriately, pizzed-off TC to this button-down Mr. Nice Guy. I don't buy it. I ain't no schmo, yo. Still, Risky Biz is in my top ten films and there are others I like (Vanilla Sky, Eyes Wide Shut, Magnolia) and then there are the vast majority of his films that either irritated me in general (Rain Main, Born on the Fourth of July) and those that flat out made me irate that people liked at all (Jerry McGuire, Top Gun, Color of Money, Cocktail, et. al).

Enough of that rant. I'll be sure to keep my big yapper shut when I'm over at TC and Katie's pad this weekend, slaughtering the sacrificial alien all in the name of Scientology and admiring the wonderful view from their billion dollar Telluride CO home. (I watched that part of the interview too. The best Oprah quote was when she got the tour from TC and saw his kitchen and said "Oh, this is so kitcheney." In typical Oprah oratory greatness, she repeated it twice for emphasis. I wanted to reach through the g-d TV and exclaim: "That's because it IS a kitchen Oprah!" Duh.)

Give it to Me, Mickey

2008-04-30T09:05:00.005-05:00

I bet you thought I was going to talk about the new Madonna record, didn't you? Well, I would except I've not yet finished listening to it and it isn't really fair to for me to pre-judge. First impression: heavy on dance. More later...

At my health club they have tv's connected to the machines controlled by the user. It's not insanely great or new technology, lots of clubs have it, but my club also has video channels unique to them split-up by genre: Urban Hits, Adult Alternative, 80's Hits, etc. So at the end of my workout (during Stairmaster time) I plug into (you guessed it) 80's Hits for a ride in the way-back machine. The quality of vids back then was shite, but it still is super awesome, ya-know? It's also somewhat humbling to realize how uncool I was when I liked pop music (early 80's). Yesterday was a fine example of this. For the first time I actually listened, I mean listened to the lyrics of Toni Basil's "Hey Mickey" probably for the first time. Sure, me and Sue F. and Melissa H. scribed them from Melissa's record in the family room in her basement and mocked Toni's cheerleader moves from the video while shouting along to the record. Be we never really listened to what the hey she was singing about. Newsflash Gizmo, the song is about S-E-X. Note the following:

"So come on and give it to me anyway you can
Anyway you want to do it, I'll take it like a man
Oh please baby, please don't leave me in this jam Mickey"

Um, er, okay.

No wonder I was a late-bloomer.

Where's the Rat in This Picture?

2008-04-29T09:24:00.004-05:00

I know I have an unnatural fascination with the species known as the "Subway Rat" but I do. So be it. I took this on my Blackberry, which is normally great with photos but that little rat-bastard was moving so I was trying to move along with him. Why couldn't he just sit all nice purty while I was attempting to take his picture? Anyway, this is at my favorite rat-watching spot: 14th Street/Union Square Station. I know that the picture doesn't totally capture it, but he was quite snarky.

Okay, so it's "The Crow" outside again today. It's "Seven" minus creepy no-fingerprints Kevin Spacey (who I think is creepy, no matter what). I am chilled, I'm multiplyin'. I have a leisurely week this week, no plans, I'm just flyin' by the seat of my pants. Footloose and fancy-free. Like Kramer without undies, "I'm lovin' it."

The B-stards at the Crane finally rented my apartment. Yeah, you got it. My ties with Sioux Falls, SD are finally severed (minus that I have all my worldly possessions in storage there, so at least until next February I'm free of them). I fought with them all weekend about my carpeting. They (supposedly) brought in a service to blacklight my carpeting and were coming after me for replacing costs of the carpeting. Now, if I ruin something, I own up to it. Could there have been Lady urine on the carpeting? I suppose. Maybe she snuck into the bedroom and drained the main vein. I cannot be 100% certain, I don't have peepers in the back of my head. But, to black light my apartment only after I move out, not before I move in, and blame all the stains on me is wrong. Furthermore, to lie about it and say to me that "the results from the last tenant are in storage" and to let it slip to my mom that they never blacklit the last tenant because "he didn't have a pet" is wrong. To say that my apartment smelled like urine, is wrong (it didn't, by the by).

So, after much back-and-forth yesterday they split the costs with me. True, they did find a renter and I am off the hook for my lease and really, that's the most important thing. I just detest being lied-to and made to feel like a pig because my dog may or may not have had an accident (or two). But, I also had the carpets professionally cleaned four times since Lady passed-away and clearly, she couldn't have accidents now that she's dust in an urn on my mantle. Could she (she was thrifty though, that one). I shall defend her honor until the end.

Dang, I miss that little dog. No one captures your heart like your first dog.

Enough morbidity for the day. I am flying high on my drum of Starbucks coffee and gearing-up to work my very first reference desk shift here. Should be fantastic. I'm excited to see how these students differ from the SDSU kids. No more soil samples. No more angri-anything. Thankfully, I doubt I'll see anyone wearing hunting gear. Ugly doesn't even cover it.

Observation of the day: a doorman using a spray hose to get tiny leaves off of the sidewalk in the rain. Does this make sense?

Waste of Time Yesterday: Two hours of A&E's "Intervention." I dreamt about being addicted to (and I am NOT lyin') Fresca all night. I adore Fresca, it's diet, it's carbonated, it's grapefruit juice, it's tangy. Give me more....

(In answer to the question where is the rat, he's in just about the exact center of the photo, you can see his tail curling towards the platform if you squint hard enough.)

Another MM Photo I'd Never Seen

2008-04-23T13:31:00.006-05:00

It's hard to believe that there are more Marilyn photos I've not seen. There are. You recognize the dress, right? Did you know she was sewn into this dress? She was trim. Makes me want to work out right this minute. I can't. Work. Shoot.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

I'm out of my funk inspired by a walk in the old neighborhood on Saturday. Don't look back, isn't that what Dylan always said? Well I did, I scratched the itch and instantly regretted it. I wouldn't be the same person had I continued to check the married box on the form. I know this. But what led up to that caused me heartache that I didn't fully deserve. I was an old hat, new hats are more attractive. I don't like hats, don't look good in them, never have.

I'm looking forward to the next phase in my so-called life. Watch. Out.

Today's Links:Wireframe Palette: http://urlgreyhot.com/personal/resources/omnigraffle_wireframe_palette/

Sitemap Stencil and Template:http://www.garrettdimon.com/archives

Sitemap Stencil:http://www.nickfinck.com/stencils.html

Block Diagram Shapes Stencil:http://www.paperplane.net/omnigraffle/

Wireframe Stencil:
http://jason.similarselection.org/omnigraffle/webwireframe.html

Viso is to Microsoft what OmniGraffle is to Macintosh.

Questia (Online Library, Consumer Product):
http://www.questia.com/Index.jsp

HCI: Human-Computer Interaction:
http://www.hcibib.org/

Books to Check Out:
Dan Brown, Communicating Design: Developing Website Documentation for Design and Planning

Alan Cooper, About Face: The Essentials of User Interface Design (Wiley) ISBN-13: 9781568843223Pub. Date: November 1995

Joseph Dumas and Janice Redish, A Practical Guide to Usability Testing ISBN-13: 9781841500201 Pub. Date: December 1999

Alison Head, Design Wise ISBN-13: 9780910965316 ISBN: 0910965315, (1999)

James Hom, The Usability Methods Toolbox

Jakob Nielsen, Designing Web Usability and useit.com

Jakob Nielsen, Hoa Loranger, Web Usability ISBN-13: Pub. Date: April 2006

Jakon Nielsen and Robert Mack, Usability Inspection Methods, Publisher:(April 25, 1994)ISBN-10: 0471018775 ISBN-13: 978-0471018773

Jeffrey Rubin, Handbook of Usability Testing: How to Plan, Design and Conduct Effective Tests Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (April 15, 1994)ISBN-10: 0471594032
ISBN-13: 978-0471594031

Jared Spool, Web Site Usability ISBN-13: 9781558605695Sales Rank: 763,670Pub. Date: November 1998

Have fun folks!

"Don't try to confuse the issue with half truths and gorilla dust."

2008-04-22T14:28:00.004-05:00

(To the left is a sculpture by Gavn Turk of Sid, not my cat, the dude.)
Links to check out if you're me:

Survey Software:
www.themindcanvas.com

Taxonomy Resource:
http://www.taxonomywarehouse.com

Search Engines:
http://www.searchenginewatch.com

Do You Know What Site is Hot?
http://webhotornot.com/

Technorati CEO/Founder Blog
http://www.sifry.com/alerts/

Usability Testing:
http://www.sensible.com
http://www.iainstitute.org

Here Mousy Mouse

2008-04-22T09:25:00.002-05:00

(This image from http://www.lisapetrucci.com/)
They told me there were mice in the building and I didn't listen. Like my mom always said to me growing up "Ach, you're just being dramatic," catch-phrase whenever I voiced a complaint or if crying was involved. I thought that of the many mouse warnings I received, "don't leave food in your desk, even if it's sealed in a plastic bag, they WILL find it," and "don't leave food unattended on your desk, they're especially agressive during spring break and the summer." Sure, right.

So, you guessed it, the cute like "buggers" (as my dad says when referring to the many mice that have taken-up residence in his house) made my bag of Sun Chips their meal last night. My desk drawer was closed and yet, they somehow found a way in. "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in," (inappropriate quote, but what the hey). At least they didn't leave me little poo gifts on their way out the drawer.

Spring break is here and the 6 train is empty and I am loving it! The pope is long gone and things are gliding back into a fairly normal position and a slower pace. I likeee. I'm doing research on all things web, so I'll start posting interesting links here, to remind me, and possibly you, of all things web.

I'm living like I'm camping, my apt is fairly bare and non-descript which is fine by me, in the past, always so surrounded. Don't get me wrong, when my lease is up I'm going to get my stuff sent out to me, but for now, it aint no big thang.

Over and O-U-T~

Bee-ew-tee-full Day

2008-04-03T07:53:00.003-05:00

This is an old-time photo of the bridge I take to get into the city every day. A great thing happened today: I discovered the joy of the Z express train. It got me into Union Square in ten minutes. Thus, making my commuter a little less than 30 mins. Yes, you heard me right, thirty minutes versus the hour it took me to get to mighty Brookings. Color me thrilled, fellow travelers, as I am a commuting machine.

Tis not eazy, breezy to be the new girlie on the block. They are putting me to work swiftly and for that I'm pleased as I hate being the sit-behind-your-desk new employee with nothing but a box of pens, a stack of post-it's and three empty manila folders. Give me somethin' to do or sweet misery.

My neigbhorhood is growing on me. Mainly because the place is affordable (well, as affordable as things can be here, if ya know what I mean), I have a back yard (insert image of me simply opening the door to let Maddie enjoy her morning excretions), and I am 10 mins (or so) from the city (Bowery another four to Union Sq). When I lived on the UES it took me a good half hr-45 mins to get to Pratt (14th St) which, as it happens, is where I tend to spend most of my time (my club is there, decent Whole Foods, many movies, comic book store, etc). I'm starting to settle in now.

Same old story with my old Apt in Sioux Falls. Don't ask me about it, I just cannot utter a single syllable on that topic.

Today's observations: a woman was cleaning out her bag on the Z train and placed all the items on the floor in front her as she sorted, not caring one ounce if anyone stomped on them (they didn't) as they exited the train. She was one angry scrubs-wearing woman. I have my nose buried in my book when I ride, but this was worthy of a watch.

iTunes ripped me off 100 clams and I am P-Oed. I guess that somehow I sent a gift certificate from myself to myself, but not to myself, to the email box for Briggs Library. And, someone opened said email and clicked on the "Redeem Now" button, thus activating said gift certificate (downloads into the account of the person who opened it). Now I am out 100 bucks with no recourse. I complained to Apple, but they no care. I've taken the case up with my credit card company, but who knows how many ions that'll take. Why I ougghta.

More later...

I'm Baaack!

2008-03-26T11:20:00.002-05:00

The nice people at Ibiza salon in Union Square are letting me use their laptop to post on this here blog (see how important y'all are to me). I am typing this without my mighty glasses so forgive the typos. I went to my new health club (Crunch) to use their hotspot, but it's down right now. Crunch rocks because they are running a special where I don't pay dues until June. RRROCK. And, it's cheapter than NYSC so I'm in like Flynn (whoever that joker is).

My move is going alright. The chumps at my old apt bldg still have not rented my place so I am getting anxious. Please put the good karma out there for me, I want it rented by MAY or I am in troub-lee-vee. My new apt is squeeky clean and the landlord/owner(s) are very attentive. The neighborhood, well, eh, er, it's a slice of reality this drive-thru acclimated girly isn't all that familiar. But now each day I become more familiar. It's good for me, as I am super close to the city (right over the Williamsburg bridge, actually).

It's funny, I never felt like I fit in in SD, and when I first got here I felt huge pangs of regret, like why did I leave my fab apt and a job that I really loved for the unknown of the city. Now that I'm getting back into the groove of things in the city, I realize that this is where I belong. It is a relief, really. Although there is still a Midwestern girl beneath, I still feel huge relief being back in the city.

It was strange at first though, the noise in particular got to me a bit. Oddly, my apt, being in the back and all, is very quiet save for the next door neighbors who had a big party Sat night, while I was in full hibernation mode. Maddy barked a bit, but hey, no one seems to care as there are dogs everywhere.

I met some of the neighbors in my bldg. Nice, nice, very nice.

I should "getty on the getty on" as my dear old dad says, as they need to wash the dye outta my long locks (did I tell ya I am getting grey, spotty grey but the bA**ards are still poking their evil little heads through).

I saw "Funny Games" at the Angelika (why does that theatre seem dingy lately) and it was DISTUBING. Me no get. Me sorta get, but me no likee. I also saw the new Tyler Perry, with my girl Angela Basset, it was fun, a bit over the top character-wise, but positive message and fun.

I get cable and internet on Friday, I went with the el-cheapo package, but I shold be back sometime this weekend.

Ciao Bella,
Dabeckrock

MY LAST DAY IN SODAK!!!!!

2008-03-13T13:53:00.002-05:00

It's finally here. The day has dawned. A new horizon. I will be leaving SDSU for the last time in about a half hour. Although there's been oodles and oodles of planning to get to this point, it's surreal how it's here. Already. I won't miss the evil hellish commute, I will miss some people I've worked with and met here. I cannot deny. Sadly, I never felt truly at home here. Always outside looking in. That's okay, it taught me a lot about solitude and myself. It has made its imprint (even if at times it was in the form of a cow pie).

Dabeckrock, over and out.

Eat This and Love it (day 3)

2008-03-11T18:57:00.004-05:00

I had hushpuppies for the first time on Sunday. I now have found the vehicle for tarter sauce, one of the most beloved of sauces ("she's got sauce" (I couldn't resist)). I've been on the hunt for fake fish sticks, but food science/technology hasn't caught-up to the desires of us vegetarians yet.

Here's an idea: write a blog in voice of someone from years ago, create a character and blog from that perspective (dirty disco dancer from the 70's perhaps). That's what I thought this blog was: Pepy's Diary but was saddened to learn it really is a diary afterall. Clever or no?

I am IM-ing with a student right now whose topic, I thought, was an indictment speech about not allowing elderly people to drive. It blew my Diet-Coke-drenched mind. Now, let's get straight about one thing, I didn't ask him his assignment, I asked him his exact topic, he willingly volunteered the rest. SO, I advised him against using that specific topic as he might risk offending his audience. Through a frustrating series of questions/answers I discovered that his actual topic is along the lines of forcing more testing on senior citizens. Here's the rub, in library school it was pounded into my brain in advanced reference that I really shouldn't give my opinion on topics, because if I do, I risk that the patron/student won't feel comfortable asking for help when researching future topics for fear of our reactions. Truly, it should be annonymous in nature. YET, the student in me couldn't let that one slide. Dilemma. I feel guilty now, can't help it.

I have been trying to type with one hand today, just to see what it's like.

It's mighty quiet here in the library tonight. I want to stand-up on the reference desk and start singing: "Come on feel the noise, girls rock your boys," but I won't.

Those wee little babies who felt it necessary to view my current apartment TWICE in two days, never dropped-off the rental application. So today the management company worker came knocking on my door at 9am with someone else wanting to view my apt. DUDE, I don't work until 1pm on Tuesdays. Chill. Or, better yet, how about 1) effin call a girl first before pounding, 2) CALL THOSE IDGITS TO FIND OUT IF THEY ARE TAKING THE PLACE BEFORE TAKING MORE APPOINTMENTS, 3) Let me outta my lease already or let me sublet, I have taken about 7 appointments now, I can't even pack as a result and I leave this week for NYC.

What is wrong with people? These two wee little babies are not buying the place. It's just renting kids. Plus, there are only two buildings in all of SF that look like this and are brand new, they are the nicest in the G-Damn city. Seriously.

Meow says Chel (my Siamese torturer). Or, better yet, mew as her meower has never really worked quite right.

I taught my second-to-last class. Tomorrow is the last one and then it's BUH-BYE.

Happy moment of the day: my last trip to Taco Johns, mmmm, mmm, good. It was weird though, I ordered a taco salad without the beef and they brought it out with a big, steaming pile of beef. At this Taco John's they deliver the food to your table (??) so this tiny old lady delivered the scrump-dilly-icious meal and I had to explain to her not once, not twice, but three times what I wanted. It went something like this:
Server Lady: Here you go.
Me: This was supposed to have beans instead of beef.
Server Lady: What?
(We go around like this several times, then she leaves and returns a couple minutes later and says...)
Server Lady: So you wanted extra lettuce then since you don't want beef?
Me: No, beans instead of beef.
Server Lady: Beans instead of beef?
Me: YEs, exactly.
Server Lady: So you want me to take this back then?
Me: Yes, please.
I know this rocked her world as I am living in the heartland where every meal contains a dead body.

Oh, and I'm going to attempt to cut cheese out of my life for a month, I think I'm getting strung-out.

The countdown is on, one and a half more hours here at the desk on my last night shift. Goodbye.....

Over and out~
Danielle "wearing her Obey fashionable top" Beckrock

Lucy Wearing WW Suit (Day 4!)

2008-03-10T15:33:00.010-05:00

Could it be? Is it really my girlie Lucy wearing a Wonder Woman costume? HFS (holy effen Shite) I am in 8th heaven! Explain. I've often been accused of being a bit of a Lucy myself being ever-patient in my quest for the ultimate rip. Tis true. Oh and y'all know how much I love the Amazon Princess se we won't even "go there" as my four-year-old second cuz likes to say. "Lexi, do you like this dress on Barbie?," I ask her as I showcase the sluttiest bra-looking glitter top (why DO they dress Barbie so slutty these days, in my day she wore long prairie dresses, for Ken's sake) and she replied, "We won't even GO THERE" snatches the dress out from between my fingertips and thrusts a leather bustier into my hands. HUMPH. That girl reminds me of me.

I'm reading Sarah Boxer's Ultimate Blogs book and it feels contrary to read excerpts from blogs in a book. I'm a geeky librarian so I'm going with it.

I saw The English Patient again and still feel like Kip and Hannah's love story was far superior to that of the English Patient and Kathryn, those two were melba-toast. Plus, girlie, you cheated on yer hubby, nothin' good comes outta that.

Lyric of the day: "Don't go for second best baby, put your love to the test..Express Yourself." Tongues out to the nay-sayers that don't think Madge should be inducted into the (albeit somewhat useless) Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She should and is. So there. (Watch it tonight, I guess on VH1).

Danielle "channeling Lucy" Beckrock

**PS. I just had a student who wanted a book sent from the public library here in town simply because they didn't want to exert the effort to go there. Um, er, you could walk son. I told them to "put on your walking shoes, it'll be fun." I got a virtual laugh. Can't fault a guy for tryin' I guess.**

I'm A Tofu Head (day 7)

2008-03-07T10:39:00.004-06:00

Every day this week the cafeteria at SDSU has featured Tofu in its salad bar. When I first saw it (cubed and raw, but whose complainin') I did a Tex Avery double-take ("Boing"). I've been there every day since, stocking up as tofu is difficult to come by in these here parts. (Did I mention there was BACON in my potato salad on Tuesday, un-effin'-real.)

In one almighty week I move back to NYC. I woke up this morning in disbelief, after all the crud I've been through since September 06 I find it almost impossible to believe I've gotten my happiness back. And, I have a couple looking at my apartment again (second time, the landlord said "She loved it. Now she just has to show her fiance.") Pa-leze, it's a fab apt, best I've ever lived-in for a measley $700/month. What is there to think about? (New appliances and washer/dryer in the unit, COME ON.) Man, I've rented my last two apts sight unseen, have some sense of adventure kids, yer not buyin' the joint. Smash your fore-finger and middle finger together for me now and wish me luck.

I taught my second to last class today, it was on searching and evaluating internet tools. It was packed and the students were amazingly awake. I will miss these students, I really will. They made my time here so much more enjoyable. They're so polite and try pretty hard to follow along and complete the assignments without any guff. They even thank me when I hand out assignments to them. Compare this to the students at the U of MN Mpls, who'd let the door slam on my face when I went into our building. What do you do when someone is right behind you in a doorway? Anyone, anyone? Hold the door open for them. It's called what? Anyone, anyone? It's called having manners.

In teaching this class I was reminded to pull myself out of Google, every now and again, to use other search engines and meta search engines (I've gotten a bit lazy as of late). Examples to the young-at-heart include: Gigablast, Wisenut, Teoma, Clusty, Dogpile, Search.com, Metacrawler, IxQuick, Mamma, Kartoo, Turbo 10

Song Lyric of the Day: "This aint no party, this aint no disco, this aint no foolin' around."
Happy Moment of the Day: A student came up to me after class and said, "Thanks for that class, I really learned a lot."

Off to the all-you-can-eat Tofu bu-ffet.

Have a rock'n'roll good time this weekend, courtesy of Nick Cage in the great David Lynch film "Wild at Heart."

I Am Wearing Clothes from Walmart (Day 9)

2008-03-05T09:36:00.002-06:00

Just when I thought SoDak couldn't hand my azz to me anymore, it rose up and unleashed its angry fury. So here's the latest: I worked until 9 (insert the Ferris Bueller recording "nine times" here) and when I emerged from my bookish cave there was a fresh layer of snow beautifying the parking lot. "Oh shit!" I exclaim, having not been outside for hours (while in book cave) I was caught with my pants around my ankles. So be it, I thought, I'll drive home anyway. But first, I called 5-1-1 to double check road conditions. They said visibility was a half mile to a mile, I can handle that, so armed with Diet Coke in hand I sped off.

I'm trucking along, sure it's snowing, but come on. Then it got worse and now I can't even see what is road and what is stinkin' not-road so I slow down. Then a hateful semi passes me and all I see is white, I am in a cloud. This isn't cool as I am driving over a bridge at the time (note sign before bridge: "Caution Ice on Bridge"). Oh sweet jeezus, help me. I steer through it, as if hitting a deer (don't remind me, that experience ruined my ability to drive in the plains). I come up for air and now the snow is blowing up my nose and I hit an icy patch and fish-tail.

Gawd-damn-it!

My nerves are shot. My palms are slick on my steering wheel, glistening with sweat. I pull over at the next rest stop in (yeah, seriously, this is town here) Nunda Ward. I sit there for say, 15 minutes, collecting myself. I hop on my B-Berry and gather information (tis my way) and discover that I am only 11 miles out of Brookings (where I began said evil adventure) and it's been 25 minutes. After much swearing (see Christmas Story, when the furnace goes out kinda swearing) I slowly pull back onto the interstate 29 (nope, no side roads between towns here) and brave it. I drive 30 mph, as does everyone else with a brain therefore all the pickup and semi drivers speed on by. Crunts.

What next? I returned to Brookings and spent over an hour in Walmart assembling something to wear for today. I am okay with wearing my jeans another day (it's like camping) as I am wearing lace-up Fleuvogs so a skirt is outta the question. So I found a top that I slapped under a sundressy thingy (yes all black), grundies, sundries, etc. It took an HOUR though. Dang.

What I learned at Walmart: they have everything there. Ab-so-lute-ly every thing.

Next step: hotel. I picked the Starlite thinking it'd be skanky and what better way to top-off this most excellent experience. Turns-out it was okay, decent, even. That was a tad disappointing, but hey, I'm a state employee and I got a state rate of $45/nite. Bring it on!

Above is a photo of the approximate area I'll be living in when I move. Just a week and a half now, thank gawd.

I'm off to a faculty meeting, my last, PHEW.

Song lyric of the day:
It's just emotion that's taken me over
Tied up in sorrow, lost in my soul
But if you don't come back
Come home to me, darling
You know that there'll be nobody left in this world to hold me tight
Nobody left in this world to kiss goodnight

Goodnight, goodnight
(by Samantha Sang and the Brother Gibb, it makes me want to rollerskate so bad I can barely stand it)

Happy moment of the day: the barista (who is normally a disturbingly chipper person) at the grocery store here in Brookings was in a foul mood today. It was awesome. I overheard her bitching to her co-worker about her drive from Sioux Falls to Brookings last night. It took her 2 1/2 hours to get back here, same time I was on the road. We bonded.

Happy moment of the day part deux: my boss came in today (he does my commute) turns out the roads are still evil. Ha, for once I made the wise choice by chickening out. Now we'll see if I have to don Walmart clothes another day. I best be able to get outta here.

Growing Up Becker (Day 10)

2008-03-04T18:00:00.003-06:00

I found an apartment! (I'm doing a happy dance at the information desk in front of all the studyin' students, believe me, huh, do ya??) It's in Brooklyn (http://www.theburg.tv/) and I am relieved. It's been E-VILL, to say the least. But I done it Ma, I got me a place to live. Arn't you so proud of yer little girl? Phew (not pew, but that kid that just walked past me did sorta reek).

I decided to leave the UES because it's my comfort zone and since I know zippity zip about Brooklyn's vibe, it should be a mighty fine stretch for this Midwestern kitten. I find that when I explore regions unknown I grow, as a person. Aw, now I'm getting all serious and shite, watch out, I'm a big girl now.

Fun fact of the day: The internet went commercial on May 24, 1991 and Ebay was launched Sept 4, 1995. I'm happy about the internet but my ex is probably not happy about Ebay as I dwindled away a small fortune on my obsessive/compulsive collecting habits (that doll above, Growing Up Skipper, I own her). Here is a list of stuff I bought (and still own) on Ebay:

~Growing Up Skipper Doll: When you turn her left arm she grows boobs, no joke
~Sonny & Cher Dolls
~Captain & Tenille Dolls
~Farrah and Charlies Angels Dolls and books and toys and t-shirts and trading cards and infinity
~Cher Head Doll
~Farrah head doll
~The Welcome Back Kotter gang in doll form
~Kojak Doll (WTF)
~Suzanne Somers doll
~Diana Ross doll
~Audrey Hepburn, yes, doll
~Marilyn dolls, plural
~Luke and Leia dolls
~Dorothy Hamill doll
~dozens of Barbie dolls from the years 1969-1978
And that is all I will admit to right now. The almighty collection fills (dare I say it aloud for fear of being struck-down by lightening) AN ENTIRE ROOM. What was I thinking? I had "issues." Since I moved to NYC I've barely Ebayed because I didn't know how to quit it. Zippy. I did buy one disasterous item when I moved here: an actual deer rug from the early 70's. I loved it. I know, being all vegetarian and animal rightsey you'd think I wouldn't partake, but I did. And the angry gods of my hypocritical act retaliated by inspiring my be-ew-tee-ful Persian to make this here pelt his new litter box. He was bold enough to squat while I was eating dinner, as if to say: F-you ya band wagon activist. I immediately threw it away and have not Ebayed since.

But, with all its primary-colored glory I am digging through Ebay's pages tonight, mang, and it is tickling my fancy something fierce.

Song Lyrics of the Day:

Shooting at the walls of heartache
Bang, bang!
I am the warrior
Well I am the warrior
And heart to heart you'll win
If you survive the warrior, the warrior

Geeky Link of the Day: http://librariandressup.com/ (BTW, that is totally what I look like now, no, really).

shut me up with milk

I MET KELLY GARRETT (Jaclyn Smith)

Kittehs

I Went to a Mets Game! Yippeeeee

Aw, Poor Kitteh

Funny Links again

More Linkies

Jeff in 3rd Grade (God Love the 70's)

OBEY in Minneapolis Lyndale Ave, by the Wedge

Blech

More Linkies

To Say Michael Jackson is NUTZO is so effin' obvious

Coraline...Go See it!

I Lurve Koalas

Fun Link Friday

Today's Natalie Dee Drawing

Happy 25th Anniversary Mac!

Links to Get Yer Cute ON

Goodbye Chilo, 1999-2009

Girl Crushes

Two Videos You Need to Watch

Famous Bow Wow Wow Photo Shoot

Bettie Page Video

Bettie Page: 1923-2008

Speechless

Links you MUST Check Out

Marilyn Monroe Makes My World Less Sad

Full Text of Books...Online! (More Linkies)

I Must Get My Hair Cut!!!!

So Glad it's NOT Me

Finally!

useful links

Stupidity at its Finest

Crazy Murakami Commercials

Balance ME Cesar

It's All About Amusing Me Today.

More Linkies

I Miss You My Kitteh

Linkies and I'm Back

Cute Puppy

TGIF and Sprite Zero Rules

Fighting the Urge...

More Linkies

Julianna Hatfield at the Bowery and More...

Oh, The Places You'll Go

Minneapolis or BUST

Hump Ditty-Dump-Day

Rock Me Amadeus

Chelsea Puked on My Bed AGAIN

Remembering Lady

Pamela Anderson's Deep Thoughts

Art Linkies Matey!

I'm Angry....

See: Patti Smith Dream of Life

Homesick

Will You Be My Friend?

CUNY Schools Take Top Spots in Princeton Review's Best Colleges List

You Tube Weirdness and Vlogging

Batgirl was a Librarian: A Simple Batgirl Pathfinder

Hey, That's My Chew! Gimmie!

Top Ten Reasons I Want to be Mary Tyler Moore (circa the MTM Show)

Librarian Blogs in Review

I Peel Tick

Getting Crazy with the Cheese Whiz: Maddy's New Haircut

Murakami in Brooklyn and Librarians Punked

Six Degrees of Separation from Diana Prince

Chilling Evidence of the Shih Tzu Revolution

Happy 4th of July

Who's Yer Bunny?

Linkies

It's Lesbian Pulp Fiction Wednesday

More Links to Remember

I Kilt a Firefly

Links to Fun Interactive Sites

The Heart of the Matter

Links

Links

Search Engines Galore

GRRR.... I'm Maddy's New Haircut

This is Planet Earth...