Strange things are happening...

It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.
- Frederick Douglass

Well,  I'm finally at work after a long night, and it's all I can do to stay awake at my keyboard.  The rain this morning didn't help anything.

Last night, I took Freedo to the park after work.  Normally, he's great around both dogs and people, but today he was getting all kinds of worked up.  Every time someone would start to come near us, the hair would stand on the back of his neck, and he'd start growling. 


I tried just taking him to a less occupied part of the park, but by then, his anxiety was starting to spread to me.  I felt the hairs on the back of my neck standing, and I swore there was someone standing behind me, but every time I turned around, there was no one there.


The wind started to pick up, and the sky was turning dark, so I decided to head home.  I still couldn't shake that feeling, and must have turned around ten times in two blocks.  The sky opened up as we neared the apartment, and I almost decided to run for it, but I was afraid I would slip...and it might get me.  (Silly me!)

We finally got home, after what seemed like forever, and I decided to order in, although Freedo would barely let the delivery guy stand in the doorway.  I almost locked him in the other room.  I tried going to sleep early, but the storm rattled our windows all night, and Freedo was constantly pacing back and forth.  Between that, and the squeak of Rizzo's wheel...it was a long night.

And now for something completely different...

It's difficult to understand why people don't realize that pets are gifts to mankind.
- Linda Blair 

Freedo and Rizzo, hanging out...

Sometimes I Feel Like...

Somebody's Watching Me.
- Rockwell

Ok, first it was the weird spider thing, and now it always feels like I have eyes, boring into my back.  But when I turn around...nothing.  Just patrons, going about their day, doing their thing.  It's gotten to where I try to avoid going in the stacks by myself...especially the Sacramento Room.  There's never anyone in there, and it seemed a little spooky before...

I need a drink, or a hug.  Maybe I'll take Freedo to the dog park after work.  We would both enjoy the sun.

Wild Eyes

“I have drunk, and seen the spider.”
- William Shakespeare

Today was an ordinary day at the library...one or two noisy patrons...some kids who wanted me to do all their work for them...all in all, nothing special.

Except... (Isn't that always the case?)

I kept seeing something out of the corner of my eye, but every time I moved to look at it, it was gone.  It was like there was  a spider constantly trying to sneak up on me, but scuttling up his silk every time I turned.  Maybe I need to get my eye checked.  Or maybe I drank too much, like my friend The Bard.  If only :)

Ordinary Day

The ordinary acts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest. 
- Thomas Moore 
Irish poet (1779 - 1852)

I usually get up around 8 o'clock, and first things first, have to take Freedo for a walk so he can do "his business."  After that is feeding Rizzo and breakfast, usually yogurt, some fruit, and maybe a croissant from La Bou.  Library hours have been cut some lately, so most mornings I have time to get some swimming or strength training in before work.  I walk to work, and stop for a cup of coffee on the way.

Work is...well, work.  I love being in the stacks, but the patrons seem to be more and more trying lately.  All the questions I get are about how to sign up for the computers, or why they're down, or how to find something online.  Not that I have a problem with computers or anything, but sometimes I wonder when the last time these people read a real book was.  Curling up in a comfy chair with a laptop just doesn't have the same feeling.  And it seems like the more time people spend on the computer, the less time they spend on social niceties.

Today, we had an outage with our network connections.  There was a water main break down the street, and our network connection was gonna be out until at least three or four o'clock.  I had this woman, screaming in my face, because she couldn't use the computer to find information for her child's report on Madagascar.  I told her that the encyclopedia was available, and offered to show her how to search our catalog for information on the country.  She exploded.  "This is a library!  Why aren't the computers working?  Why can't I look things up?  My money is paying your salary!"  Oh, and "Do you think I'm stupid or something?  That I don't know how to look something up?  It's because I'm black, isn't it?"  God, I hate it when they say that.  No, I don't think you're stupid, and no, it's not because you're black.  I'm just trying to do my job, and that includes showing people how to find information.  I'm good at it, in fact.  Damn good at it.  I could find anything you needed to know in this library, or where to go if it's not here.

Ugh!  Some days, I can't wait to get home, and curl up with a good book.