Electing a President

Background: One of the email lists I'm on had a short exchange on politics this today. One of the members brought up Nader (!), Obama not wanting to debate, and democracy in America. This is my reply.

There's only problem with your analysis: In the national presidential election there is no such thing as a three-way race. There's not even a two-way race. Either you win all the electoral college votes or you win none.

I understand that you want to see someone speak truth to power, but it's not really possible if you're seeking power in the first place. What I want is to elect someone who will use power constructively.

I'm sure many people have pointed out the vast differences b/n Obama and McCain. In the end, one of them will be president no matter how many votes Nader/McKinney/Barr/Various Write-Ins get.

So which one do you prefer?

I really think that we on the left have to get over our need for perfection in our candidates. Most of the country does not agree with my positions and I have to recognize that. I want someone in office who at least somewhat agrees with me on the issues.

I keep thinking about the weeks of ridiculousness inflicted on our nation when President Bush threatened to veto SCHIP. You know--the State CHILDREN'S Heath Insurance Program. How can you possibly wake up in the morning and say to yourself "I'm going to veto this program b/c these kids' parents suck and clearly that is the kids fault and why don't they work and get healthcare like all other Americans. I'm sure lemonade stands come with BlueCross BlueSheild." Even if Obama isn't able to push through national healthcare at least he won't freaking veto it.

Re Debating. McCain can ask for all the debates he wants but it is the Obama campaign that will decide how many there will be. You only want to debate if you aren't doing well in the polls and think a debate will help. And really, are we not familiar with their stances on the issues? Do you really think there will be any surprises? All you can really hope for is for one of them to miss one of his talking points.

Finally, when it comes to the office of the president we do not live in a democracy but in a republic. All you can do is vote every 4 years, cross your fingers, and hope for the best.

Update

I have moved to a state known for its highways. I have a car and car insurance. My apartment is pretty small but only a 5 minute walk from the library/gym/student center. I bought a blender but haven't used it.

I feel kind of old on campus. I suspect this feeling will get worse once the new first years (class of '12 and born in 1990) arrive on Saturday.

I signed both a book contract and a library consulting contract.

The new Star Wars movie is okay but would have worked just as well as a tv movie. Not worth 11 bucks.

I have five boxes worth of weeded books to get rid of.

New Brunswick has a classic Carnegie public library with the second level glass floor. (Yes, I've already visited and I couldn't get a card because I didn't have two forms of id.)

I'm ready for school to start.

Book Contract

I received my book contract from Neal-Schuman today. I am totally freaked out.

Just check anything but black...

I joined Chemistry.com earlier this month. I've joined most online sites at different times in my life: Yahoo, eHarmony, Match. So I decided to give Chemistry a try and it's okay. Like eHarmony you can't search profiles, the company sends them to you. Like all dating sites, many of them men don't take time to actually write a decent personal statement, but the ratio of decent statements to crappy ones is fairly high.

Chemistry.com, however, needs to fix their search algorithms. On dating sites you get to pick the ethnicity of the people you're interested in. (I check no preference.) Chemistry keeps sending me guys who are interested in the following:

American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
White/Caucasian
Hispanic/Latino or Spanish origin

Notice what's missing? I've written Chemistry twice letting them know that they keep sending me guys that aren't interested in women of my race. I've received two stock answers: "Please trust we are currently working on this problem and hope to have any trouble resolved soon. Thank you for your patience."

The "ethnic preference" info is at the bottom of profiles so you read through the whole thing before realizing that the guy doesn't want black girls. I've taken to scrolling to the bottom first so I can archive them right away.

It's a pain (and painful) and I'm not going to renew my subscription.

My friends and I joke that they should just create a check box for "Anything but Black." That way there won't be any confusion.

Good Products

Amazon.com MP3s
I suppose that Amazon's download store is not really a product, but I have spent so much money there I have to talk about it.
Unlike the rest of the world, I don't have an iPod. I have a Creative Zen Vision:M which means that I can't use iTunes without going through a whole lot of mess. (Download song. Copy to CD. Upload song. Copy to Player.) So I was thrilled when Amazon started it DRM-free store. It doesn't have as much music as iTunes, but everything is reasonably priced.

If I'm really honest with myself though, my favorite thing about the store is the Specials. Every Friday at they have 5 for $5. Every day they have some ridiculously low priced album in the top right hand corner. I bought Aretha Franklin's I Never Loved a Man for $1.98 the other day.

Sometimes entire albums are free. Granted most people probably aren't excited that Naxos Very Best of Early Music is free but I am not one of those people. (The Kyrie eleison Christian-Arabic Tradition from Lebanon is sublime.)

The whole thing is a money sink. I should really stop.

Oh look, Bernstein conducts Gershwin...

Canada!

I'm in Canada and it's beautiful. This is rather surprising to me. I like to make fun of Canada--it's such an odd country: American...but not and with some French thrown in.

The American Theological Library Association meeting is in Ottawa this year and I am excited to see the Houses of Parliament. Really. I've only seen them from a distance but they look totally amazing.

The conference is pretty good. The director of University of Ottawa Libraries gave the plenary this morning. The US could learn a lot from the cross provincial projects the libraries up here conduct. Not only does Canada have national healthcare, they also invest in their libraries. It took me awhile to identify the emotion I was feeling the speech, but now I realize it's jealousy.

Blame Canada!!!!

Good Products (A New Occasional Series)

IKEA 365+ Food Saver

One of the worst things about living alone is that it's almost impossible to eat all the food you buy. I buy tiny quarts of milk and don't finish them. Little jars of spaghetti sauce get mold spores. Unless you eat toast every day for a month, it's difficult to finish a loaf of bread.

I freeze things but lots of food ends up with freezer burn because it's been packed away too long.

Lettuce is a killer. Eating an entire head of lettuce is almost impossible. Salads everyday is too much to ask of anyone.

About a year ago I bought an Ikea food saver. Some show on HGTV discussed Tupperware food savers but Tupperware is often difficult to find and expensive. Finding a way to keep lettuce fresh for weeks, however, was worth any effort. Ikea to the rescue.

My $10 Ikea 365+ Food Saver keeps lettuce fresh for up to a month. It is truly amazing. Lettuce stays crispy and green. No more wasting money on lettuce that I can't finish.

The Takeaway

For the past few weeks, I thought I was managing my mornings okay even though WNYC started running a new show, The Takeaway at 6 on FM93.9. The show isn't totally horrible. It's just...not very good. But I was okay with it. NPR (or actually PRI in this case) is just experimenting with something "new" and "edgy" because that's what the "young folks" want. Like guitar in church or something.

Then this morning something happened at the station. At 8:00 they cut to The Takeaway instead of Morning Edition. I was suddenly in hell. "What the fuck???" I yelled at the radio, "You've got to be KIDDING me."

Someone realized the mistake. Dead air. Then Morning Edition. *Whew* All was right with world.

Do Not Mess With My Morning Routine. Mornings mean Morning Edition. Every weekday morning. Four hours straight.

Please get rid of that newfangled chatter-y crap.

Thank you.

Good Sound Quality

I saw my first Blu-Ray disc Monday at Circuit City. A-Ma-Zing! I couldn't stop staring.

I want one. But, not yet.

Why?

Because Star Wars isn't available.

Let me explain. Star Wars has been playing on Spike TV for the last month or so, but even though I'm a huge fan I don't bother to watch. What would be the point? For Star Wars to be Star Wars you need excellent picture quality and sound. Especially sound. Since I bought my Onkyo 5.1 home theater system, I can't watch sci-fi movies without it. When the THX logo comes on, my living room shakes. The lightsabers are wonderfully electronically whoosh-y. And, most importantly, the sonic detonator sounds awesome. When that guitar comes through my speakers it's the most beautiful sound. (And yes, I know that in space no one can hear you scream so that sound is impossible.)

I love watching Star Wars at home.

But none of the Saga is available on Blu-Ray and Lucas has no plans to release them in the format. When he does I'll be first in line.

Magic

Book Proposal. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.

Something about not wanting to write.

Something about good medicine.

Something about research.



(It just might work.)

Book Proposal

I'm trying not to think about the book proposal. I turned it in on Monday and now I have to wait for the publisher to get back to me. If I get the contract I'm going to be working on this thing all summer so I'm giving myself a break. But I keep thinking I should do something on it. Maybe some research? Start the intro?

Then I remind myself that I will be OBSESSING over this thing all summer. I deserve some time to think about other things like the Ekumen and vampire love.

Romantic

I am a total romantic. I hadn't truly realized this until about two weeks ago. I can only remember two books I've read in one night: Umberto Eco's the Name of the Rose and Frank Herbert's Dune.
Two weeks ago, I finally picked up Stephanie Meyer's Twilight . It had been sitting on my self for a few months and look like an easy read. I finished it at 4 in the morning.

The next day I went out and bought the next two books in the series and devoured them as well.

This would not be a big deal except that I've been reading some part of them for every night since. I crawl into bed and turn to my favorite scenes: the near-death by van, the meadow, the car ride, the rescue, the Volturi, the ring, the death by beheading. Hmmm...I should probably explain that the books are about a teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire.

There is a huge online community dedicated to the Twilight books. The teaser trailer for the new movie has been viewed more the 2 million times. (I think I've seen it ten times myself)

Why? I don't really know. All I can think of is that books hit some deep seated desire in (mostly) women to be wanted by someone who loves you so much that they will deny themselves what they want most (in the case of Edward--Bella's blood).

I don't like thinking of myself this way. I don't really believe that there is such a thing as true love anyway. But I guess I love escaping into a world where it exists.

More Book Stuff

I received my proposal comments today and I have to get the revisions back by Monday(!). The editor mentioned in the email that they are nitpicky and he wasn't kidding. I have NO IDEA what I'm doing with this book thing.

Must...think...good...writing...thoughts...

Book News

I heard back from the publisher the day I wrote the blog. Murphy's Law.

The outside reviewer liked it. Now I have to add his recommendations to the proposal and send it back in. The executive board will vote on it sometime in May. If they say yes, we go into contract talks.

I can't believe this is happening. At least it will be good practice for the dissertation.

Right?

Waiting

On September 9, 2005 I noticed a Call for Articles for the Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery, and Electronic Reserve. Little did I know I would still be thinking about that Call for Articles two and a half years later.

I decided to write a short article on "On-the-Fly" interlibrary loan departments. My primary topic was: How do you get ILL done if you don't have time to do it? The article was published (Yay!) and I didn't think about it again.

Then on September 26, 2007, I received a jaunty email from a publisher asking me if I was interested in writing more. "Of course," I wrote, "but not until after we complete the library move." You know when you say something because it's the right thing to say? This was one of those occasions. I figured that the guy would forget.

How wrong I was.

January 22, 2008: Hope the move went well! Still want to write the book?

"Sure," I write, "What do I need to do?"

The proposal itself took forever. I became obsessed with ILL thinking about it on the train, the plane, in church, at work, watching tv.

I really freaked myself out: If this is what it took to write the proposal, what would the book take?

I sent in the draft and received comments from the publisher. I corrected the proposal, sent it back and waited. And waited. And waited some more.

Finally two weeks had passed and I sent an email. "Any more comments?" I asked. "No, we sent it around. It's out for review with an expert" (!!!!) What???? Out for review??? But, but, but....

This really might happen. I'm probably going to have to write a book. In one summer.

On interlibrary loan.

DVDs vs. VHS

In order to prepare for school, I'm trying to buy all the things I would like in my apartment while I still have an income. None of these things are necessary, just stuff that would be nice to have. They include:

1. Warm dress winter coat that fits well.
2. Black leather boots with 2' heels.
3. Food processor
4. Blender
5. Printer/Scanner/Copier

This stuff isn't particularly expensive but it will all add up.

Also, do I replace my VHS tapes with DVDs? I have them all sitting in my Amazon cart. Ready to go. But the cost seems TOTALLY unjustifiable. I already have them movies. This is more a collection thing than a "I'll watch these movies all the time" thing.

I guess I'll let them sit for a little while longer until I make up my mind. (I really shouldn't obsess about this stuff so much.)

T Magazine Time!

Awww Yeah! It's that time ladies and gentleman. What time? T Magazine time where we learn about ridiculously overpriced and funny looking fashion!

I was happy to see Emily Blunt on the cover. (Devil Wears Prada is MUCH better than you might think. Watch Streep when she discusses the women on the US Supreme Court. Classic. And telling.)

This issue was kind of a letdown. Most of the fashion wasn't awful and only mildly overpriced. Until you get to "Drama Queen." Grown women should never, EVER wear minis with thigh highs unless they're in the business. And spending $39,500 for a jacket is just silly. Especially one that looks like that.

Hair

The barber cut my hair short today. Really short.

He's supposed to use a 1.5 guard. But he used a 1. I was sitting in the chair thinking "Ask him if he has the right guard on. Ask him. Ask him now." But I didn't. Two strokes and it's over. Almost bald head. No choice but to keep going.

*sigh*

The 1 is 3.0mm (1/8 inch) while the 1.5 is 4.0mm (5/32 inch). This might seem like a minuscule difference in hair shaft height but it isn't. With a 1.5 I look like I have some hair but with a 1 I look like my hair is just growing in. It's subtle but important.

The main problem with the whole really short hair thing is that I have to CONSTANTLY think about my eyebrows. The shorter the hair the more prominent the eyebrows and I'm not much of a groomer. I wash my face. Put on moisturizer and that's about it. Short hair means that I have not only think about my eyebrows--I also have to pluck them. Everyday. One of the reasons I have short hair is so that I don't have to think about it.

This too much hair coming off my head thing happens every so often. The worst time was when some poor woman shaved my head. Totally bald.

Of course, no one really noticed. "Oh, Emily, you got your hair cut! Looks good!"

If you only knew of the tears that came earlier.

Libraries at Night

Tonight I walked home from the Prospect Park YMCA (which isn't all that close to Prospect Park.) It was nice out so I decided to take the scenic route by Grand Army Plaza, Mount Prospect Park, the Botanic Garden, the Museum, and the Library.

Walking up to the library, I noticed that there were people sitting around the brand new plaza. That wasn't much of a surprise--I figured a few homeless people found their way there every night. But then I saw that a couple of the people were sitting on benches with their computers open.

The library closed at 6 pm tonight (and it was 9 by the time I walked by) but people were still using the library's resources. Everyone can appreciate free wi-fi in a beautiful on a brisk almost spring evening.

Phoning Librarians

Every Wednesday, my former classmate Greg Schwartz, moderates Uncontrolled Vocabulary a podcast for librarians.

For the second time ever, I called in. It always makes me a little nervous; the library I work at is much different from others. If you listen, you'll notice that I have absolutely NOTHING to say about the Swift/Computers in Libraries thing.

I get the Computers in Libraries glossy promo but there is no way my boss would pay for me to go. We're still trying to get our copiers networked. And I don't think I have a cable for our scanner. I didn't even know what Swift was.

But, if you're a librarian, you should listen to Uncontrolled Vocabulary. It's a great way to find out what's going on in the library world.