Thursday, August 31, 2017

The Librarian Suggests


What I'm Reading:
August was definitely my slowest reading month, I hardly spent any time at home so I didn't get much time to read and chill. Excited to get my hands on The Mist by Stephen King, I plowed through this in one sitting. It's less than 150 pages, so it's a quick one. A novella that first debuted in the 80s short story collection, Skeleton Crew has been adapted to the screen a few times. A movie back in 2007 (which is a cheesy guilty pleasure) and a television show that just wrapped up it's first season on Spike TV. I grew up watching more movies that were adapted from King's books than actually read. Since he's known for his horror and I grew up with an older brother, I wasn't allowed to read them. But I heard enough from my brother, so you can imagine the nightmares I had as a child. For the most part, I loved The Mist but with all short stories a little disappointment was met just because I wanted more - more depth, more description and of course, wanting my questions answered. What have you read by Stephen King? Are you a fan or not? We actually just reviewed this short story on our podcast over at The Librarians Suggest, so make sure to check it out!! I actually just finished a bio on Ludwig Bemelmans that was wonderful, it's part bio and full of his artwork and sketches. Of course, I indulged in spending an entire evening earlier this week reading, Mad About Madeline. Also, I'm halfway through The Vagina Monologues, and I'm loving every bit of it. What have you been reading?

What I'm Watching: 
Last weekend after I finished Stranger Things for a second time, one of the suggested shows intrigued me. Have you heard of  The Returned. It first aired on A&E in 2015, it's an adaption from the French show Les Revenants (which is currently playing on Sundance) and unfortunately it was canceled after one season which is a shame because it's one of the best shows I've watched in years. Mystery, suspense and supernatural elements - I basically threw a fit after I binged it last Saturday. So many questions unanswered.

What I'm Listening Too:
 The latest PVRIS album is out and I cannot stop listening to it. "Separate" is definitely my favorite song from the album, it also maybe my favorite song of theirs, period! Wednesday was by far the most important day of the week,  only because I've been waiting a year for this specific date. The Black Tapes Season Three finally appeared in my recent downloads.

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Wednesday, August 30, 2017

The Daily Escape

Basically, I want to move to Maine.  
Also, five facts you should probably know about my favorite state. 

1. Maine’s earliest inhabitants are believed to have been descendants of Ice Age hunters.

2. With a total area of 33,215 square miles the state covers nearly as many square miles as the other five New England states combined.

3. Ninety percent of the country’s toothpick supply is produced in Maine.

4.  Eastport is the most eastern city in the country and is believed to be the first place to get graced by the morning sun on American soil.

5. The Maine coast runs about 3,500 miles long – that’s more coastline than California.


Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Studying Bemelmans





If you would have asked me seven years what I expected as far as a career, I would have never guessed I would have ended up in libraries. But leave it to an unemployed history major in the heart of New York at an exhibit featuring the last hundred years in children's literature for me to have that epiphany moment. The home to Patience and Fortitude and being in the right place at the right time, I fell in love with children's literature, art/illustration and early twentieth century New York, circa Bemelmans, de Wolf and Fleur Cowles, when publishing ruled the world. The initial entrance into the grand library was like a welcome home, and from that point until now I'm in a constant state of amazement because libraries are a wonderful thing. I can't speak for other librarians but I never tire of research, in fact it invigorates me. My fascination and love for picture books has never waned from childhood. I'm so grateful my parents stayed up just to read me stories whether it was my mom reading Eloise for the hundredth time or my six foot dad squeezing in the middle of my sister and I reading Harry Potter under the covers with us. You could call it a love affair, my books and I. It's been a thirty year relationship and I hope that passion never dies. To artists and storytellers like Ludwig Bemelmans, Hilary Knight, Emily Arnold McCully, Arnold Lobel and Barbara Cooney, this post; well almost the entirety of this blog is dedicated to you!   

Monday, August 28, 2017

Weekend Wrap Up...

 weekend vibes and catching up with shows...
 kitchen details.
 fresh manicure and the cutest baby plants that 
are scattered throughout the apartment.
still working on the kitchen and dining area.

(images via instagram)

Saturday, August 26, 2017

The Librarian Suggests

Three back to school flicks that will get you in the mood for fall, cooler weather, blankets and hot tea, blazers and loafers and especially going shopping for school supplies even though you haven't been a student in forever. What's your favorite back to school movie or television show?  

Friday, August 25, 2017

Friday Morning

We still have a month left of summer but I'm already thinking of blazers and loafers, blankets, autumn scented candles and soup recipes. Are you still holding onto summer or are you ready for the fall season as much as I am? What are you weekend plans? I plan on going to Michaels and clearing out the Fall Section and that's about it. Whatever you're up too, I hope you have a good one. See you next week :)

Off Limits to Just About Everyone

 In the mood for Documentaries this weekend?

 Abandoned Zoo in LA

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Stop and Shop

 
What's on your fall list?! 

This chair for my desk or kitchen table, either way it works :)

These shoes are everything and I need a pair. 

Librarians saving the world and well-read women.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Top Five








When it comes to dessert, I don't need cake, cookies or candy, I go right for the ice cream. I'm more a sorbet person, I like light and fruity flavors. And since my favorite Pomegranate Blueberry Sorbet from Trader Joe's is no longer sold in stores, the Euraka Lemon and Marionberries is next in line. Also I just tried Talenti and Arcitc for the first time, they're were so good on the first try they easily beat out a lot of other flavors I like. 

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

1970's Glam







I love the retro glam look that the owner of this condo in Seattle executes. We're still working on a few things with our apartment so we're experiencing serious apartment envy over here. The bronze accents, the minimalist approach, the black and white color palette. The bookshelf?!! What home projects are you working on?!

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Monday, August 21, 2017

Weekend Wrap Up...

 philosophy fiend.
 if you haven't heard about us, please join!!!
other bookish things, we're doing around town. 

(images via instagram)

Friday, August 18, 2017

Friday Morning

There's usually one day a year I love and hate the most and that is the stuffed animal sleepover story time our library throws. It's the longest work day ever because its typically a thirteen/fourteen hour work day for me. I do my regular shift and then it's story time with about a hundred people and then a night of messing up the library and screaming at technology while trying to make a short movie of everything that happened the night before and putting it on the big screen the very next morning for viewing. But then there's the part where kids can't say goodbye to their stuffed animals. They need to think about the possibility of going to sleep without their best friend, and that's really tough. It a big decision, I always say if they're not ready this year they can always come back. I reassure the kids their stuffed animals are going to make new friends and throw a party maybe on the level of Project X. Their little face lights up and they don't want their doll to miss out. They put their friend to bed and leave the library, I always tell Mom (or Dad) that's huge, it's a sign they're growing up! Last night I had a little girl, who took ten minutes to decide if she wanted to leave her tattered monkey at the library, finally she agreed and mom put Monkey to sleep."No, Mom Ellie (the monkey) is not cozy there, she wants to sleep with the giraffes not the teddy bears." There's so many cute moments that make my heart go soft and I want to shed a tear, because I remember those moments. I wish I still that belief system, where the second you turn away you you think your doll has moved. I always dread the second Wednesday every August but the next day when the kids watch all the fun the animals had, I think seriously, this is what I do for a living. I love my job!!!

How have you been this wee?! I don't know about you but this week was filled with highs and lows. Lows not so much the negative but I've been pretty busy between work and the work I have after work. This week started on a high, as usual I love hosting my chapter of the silent book club and one of our readers wrote a very nice article about the local group and the national club so make sure to check that out below. Due to the festivities of yesterday, I'm completely drained. I can't wait to get home and go right to bed!!! Have an excellent weekend and see you next week!!



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Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Life Lately


The ultimate summer bag (that I secretly want to steal from my mom's closet). 

A must have scrub and a relaxing bubble bath.


Getting back into tap dancing

This new Greek Restaurant has become my newest fix. 

Ready for thick socks, cozy sweaters and lit fireplaces.

The next book on my to read list :)


Souvlaki salad on repeat for weeknight dinners.  

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

My Beauty Uniform: Burnout & Self Love




What's the first thing you do when you get out of bed?
  Turn on my morning playlist which consists mostly of female artists like Stevie Nicks, Bonnie Tyler and Lady Gaga. I’ll splash cool water on my face and apply moisture, then make a warm glass of water with mint.  It's really refreshing!

 What gives you energy?
  So many things! Swimming definitely invigorates me, I feel like I can take on the world after a good swim. Unlike most sports, you can let your mind wander, relax and think about what makes you come alive. I don’t swim as much as I use too, I need to work on it. Also, being an active listener. Nobody listens to each other anymore; we’re all too busy trying to impress everyone around us. I once read an article about interruption and I have to say I agree with the physician completely. If you knew me, you'd know I’m not an aggressive communicator. One of my strengths is being a deep listener. I’ve always been curious about the world and culture, I'm very personable and can easily talk with just about everyone. One of my favorite mentors/friends I had growing up was a camp counselor from Australia! I have a passion for people, so history and culture is very important to me (which is why I have two degrees in history and anthropology). When my dad and his brothers get together, I could listen to their childhood stories all day!  Listening to a truly great story or even a terrible one, oddly gives me energy. It’s important to let people know you care. I urge you to actively listen instead of thinking about what your response should be. No matter who or what I’m listening too, I feel inspired because I’ve learned something new from that person. We need to make our world a nicer place.

 What's your secret life hack?
  I try to go out of my way to be kind and polite to everyone even when it's hard. The world can always use more of that. Also you never know what someone is going through. 

Name a book that changed your life. 
  Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans, A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett and Still Writing by Dani Shaprio. 

 You unexpectedly find 15 minutes in your day, what do you do with it?
I’d probably do a quick meditation session. It’s a breathing exercise (so it’s not the deep meditation you’re thinking) which helps give me a little boost of energy when I start to feel tired. I would definitely need to fill up on my third or fourth glass of lemon water.  

When was the last time you felt burned out and why?
Honestly, I'll start to feel burnt out when I don't have enough solitude. I am extremely introverted and if I go several days without recharging (which means spending time alone) I'll start to feel off-balance and probably act a little crabby.

 When was the last time you felt you failed and how did you overcome it?
To be fully honest, I often feel as though I'm constantly failing because I’m always setting impossible standards for myself. I feel this immense pressure because I left college on a medical leave and even when I went back I wasn’t myself and had no direction. As a result I feel like I’m behind in my career (and sometimes life). But it's something that I'm actively working on, I have to constantly remind myself that my shortcomings are how I'll continue to grow and learn. Don’t get sucked into comparing yourself to others, it’s a waste of time and energy. And as much I don't want to admit to it, I also tell myself I'm exactly where I need to be.

 Share a quote that you love and that gives you strength or peace.
There are several quotes that bring me strength and inspire me to be my best self. More than any other, there's this quote by Ernest Hemingway, “
The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.” There have been times in my life where I have felt broken or nearly defeated and I want to give up. I may be in the midst of tears or frustration but I have to remind myself that people’s problems are rarely as unique as we may think. We all have bad things happen to us, some people have had a much worse experiences than others. It’s all about putting it into perspective, picking yourself up and deciding how you want that experience to shape you. I find this quote actually humbling. It’s a reminder that we all break, it’s how to pick ourselves up and how we want to carry out our present and our future.

Monday, August 14, 2017

Weekend Wrap Up...

 adding new art to the bedroom. 
 my kind of night...
 he can't quite figure our how to get down.
 when your favorite restaurant opens back up...
keys to the penthouse 
(also wishing to have keys to the wing.)

(images via instagram)

Friday, August 11, 2017

Friday Morning

Hey everyone, how has your week been? Pardon my absence this week but it was needed. We'll get into the deets (well not every detail) next week because I have questions for you. Until then, what have you been up too? I've been enjoying my somewhat quiet workdays lately. August is one of my favorite months, aside from the back to school shopping and the nostalgia of my childhood summers, it's typically my slow month. There's little to no programming so I can plan for the Fall/Spring seasons and not be interrupted with my usual crazy work schedule of events and activities. So I'm taking in every minute of every hour of my workday because it's my only month I can catch up on actual work and take a bit of a breather. What are your plans for the weekend? Whatever you and your family are doing, I hope you have a nice and relaxing one! 





 

Monday, August 7, 2017

A Quick Break

Due to a weekend event, I'll be taking a few days to recoup and get a little rest. In the meantime, how have you been doing on your summer goals? Have you been following along with our memorization, watching less tv and expanding your vocab goals? We have one more coming up and with all the positive feedback, we plan on continuing into the fall for more lifestyle goals!!! I hope your August has been going smoothly and you're enjoying the rest of the your summer!


Saturday, August 5, 2017

Librarian Problems

 When my least favorite patron walks into the library.
 When parents don't  clean up after their children in the play area.
 When someone is on the phone in the library.
 When a parent thinks it's funny that their child is screaming.
When a patron asks why I won't forgive their fine. 

A new end of the week series, I'd like to call #librarianproblems. Working with the public can be exhausting, people are either awesome and you want them to be your best friend or you have the people who are so far out in left field, you're left in disbelief.  I may not post five but I'll have at least one to share throughout the month.  

Friday, August 4, 2017

Friday Morning

I'm not sure what happened this week but I just about freaked out on everybody who walked into the Children's Room while visiting the library this week. I've been working in children services for about five years now and while I love my job (and families), I cannot handle the disrespect towards people, I can't even watch children misuse or ill handle library material without wanting to pull my hair out or tell parents to watch their children as they are crawling over the furniture like it's the jungle gym. And what made me almost go ballistic earlier this week was watching this mother laugh at her obnoxious screaming little beast of a child. I do not want to sound like a grouchy stereotypical librarian but come on people, where is social decency and the respect towards one another? I'm afraid it just doesn't exist anymore. One of my best friends is turning thirty this weekend and I'll be so glad to be in the company with older people. How has your week been going?! I hope your first week of August was better than mine!!!




Thursday, August 3, 2017

The Librarian Suggests



Last month was like a reading epiphany for me, Material Girl, Mystical World by Ruby Warrington was kind of life changing and Still Writing by Dani Shapiro was certainly needed. I've been toying with the idea of writing a book lately, I mean I've been writing since the second grade and my computer from college has archives of stories wanting to be bound. Still Writing is a story about love and pain, it's a writer's obsession with the written word, more importantly it's about life. It's filled with memorable quotes you need to keep on hand, always. The amount of research and patience... I basically want to scream from the rooftops, this book is life!!! And I know as a librarian it is not ok to dogear pages but I couldn't help it, there were so many ideas, quotes, and other writers mentioned that I need to remember. Also, you have to read the novella, The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster. He's famous for A Passage to India and A Room With A View (which I have not read) but a few weeks ago a fellow bibliophile I follow on social media was reading this and I had to know more. It actually predicts the future and by the future, I mean now! A story about humanity living underground and being completely dependent on a machine (just think of the modern day computer while reading this and you'll agree with me by the end, hopefully). So to answer the question, should we stop the machine? I would have to agree with Kuno... Also you should listen to the review Jade and I did on The Babysitter by R.L. Stine (@thelibrarianssuggest). And after reading the picture book Quest for Z by Greg Pizzoli and the latest in The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency, I need to read (and watch) the new film, The Lost City of Z and The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage.

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Leading Ladies

Five Things to Know About Bernadette Marie: 1. Trained and completed two degrees, an AAS in Communication Design and BFA in Textile S...