One of my students was digging through the yarn basket today (I check out books! and knit with the students! This is my dream job) and found the teensiest, tiniest beetle on one of the balls of yarn. She was thrilled.

She carefully took him and re-located him outside. I love her for doing this. So, this one is for my student (and I know you’re not supposed to have favorites, but this kid is one of my favorites):

“Nothing is more humbling than to look with a strong magnifying glass at an insect so tiny that the naked eye sees only the barest speck and to discover that nevertheless it is sculpted and articulated and striped with the same care and imagination as a zebra. Apparently it does not occur to nature whether or not a creature is within our range of vision, and the suspicion arises that even the zebra was not designed for our benefit.”

— Rudolf Arnheim, psychologist and author (1904-2007)

My latest favorite blog…

Two new words for you:

Your French word-of-the-day:

gazouillis (gah-zoo-lee) noun, masculine
1. twittering, chirping, warbling (birds), gurgling (baby) ;
2. babbling, murmuring (of running water)

Your English word-of-the-day:

ebullient (i-BUL-yuhnt, -BOOL-) adjective
Bubbling with enthusiasm or excitement.
[From Latin ebullire (to boil up), from bulla (bubble).]

Library life, Internets, is going quite nicely. That’s about all you’ll hear from me on work. Happy Tuesday — have fun.

xxox

wm

To my son, who is now six: Happy Birthday, kid. Keep reading.

Love,

Mommy

In the front of “Oh Say Can You Say” there’s a note from Wacky Boy’s Uncle W.:

“May I suggest Dr. Seuss for learning to read, meeting chicks and getting tattoos. There is always more with these books.”

Uncle W.
April 2004

That’s right. My son was two that year and already getting girl and tattoo advice from his Unky. This year he gave him a couple of “Summerland” (Michael Chabon) for his birthday. Wacky Boy’s auntie and grandma loaded him up with “Magic Treehouse.” We like 2 read.

But wait — there’s more!

Have any of you read this series? We’re just getting started…

Happy Sunday to you all. I’m now an official Volunteer Parent/Community Member Librarian.

Am thrilled.

xxox

WM

“Glory to you for the feast-day of life.
Glory to you for the perfume of lilies and roses.
Glory to you for each different taste of berry
and fruit.
Glory to you for the sparkling silver of early
morning dew.
Glory to you for the joy of dawn’s awakening.
Glory to you for the new life each day brings.”

— Gregory Petrov

I think you can probably guess how I feel when I don’t post daily. Or five times daily. That I’ve disappointed you. Let you down. Left you longing for… something you’re not getting here.

Just know, I have several projects and ideas hanging fire.

my husband: “Maybe you should ask my dad what he thinks?” (My father-in-law, who is a fairly wise and all-knowing, practical and level-headed kind of guy.)

me: “No. Because he’ll say what he always says, ‘Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaance… no, no, no. No!’ Then he tears out what little is left of his hair.”

my husband: “And is he ever wrong?”

me: “No.” (Dammit, don’t people like that make you nuts?)

OK, must go. I have the following things to contemplate…

1) master’s degree? Should I go for it? If so, in what? (Am considering Library Media advanced degree.) (Yes, I know there are no jobs for librarians.) (Because I like books is why! Don’t you?)

2) A soon-to-be-six-year-old’s birthday party. It will involve… rocks. And chocolate cupcakes.

3) My constant clashing of heads with my 8-year-old. (Unlike my father-in-law, she is not always right.) (Nor am I.)

4) Haiku: Why does it exist?

5) Blogs: Will I ever be able to keep up with them again? How about just my own?

6) Book reviews: I need to write some.

7) My husband and one kid went to Denver for spring break. I stayed home with feverish other kid. Should I feel ripped off? No, am too exhausted.

8) It costs fifty bucks every time I fill up my gas tank. I used to coast into the gas station, give the guys two bucks in change and coast out. Ah, youth. Why have you forsaken me?

9) My granny: I never call her. (She never calls me, either, but she’s 87. I need to check on her.)

10) That’s it. Knitting is going well, writing is going not so well, my house is extremely clean after being home for almost a week with a sick kid.

You?

xxox

wm