What I'm Reading This Week...

How true, how true...

What I've been reading this week:

 
"Interventions" by Kofi Annan-  I've always held huge admiration for Mr. Annan but this book brought him to a whole new level of respect.  He is elegant, eloquent and incredibly astute.  But what strikes me most is his human touch.  It crosses all borders, socio-economic levels and ethnicities.  He manages to explain how such late-20th/early-21st century atrocities such as Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur were allowed to happen yet he doesn't place unfair blame on any of the forces who would have been able to prevent them.  Pick it up to learn how the UN operates...get sucked in by Mr. Annan's personal dedication to creating a better world.



 Witty, humorous contemporary poetry.  Pick up this gem by Jennifer L. Knox.









 "Late Wife" by Claudia Emerson: heartbreakingly real and lovely.  A true work of art.



"You Can Buy Happiness (and It's Cheap) by Tammy Strobel-sometimes, by reading people's experiences with extreme living, you can take away what you need without committing to an exact replica of how they've instituted positive change.  SO, while I'm not ready to move into a 100 sq. ft. home, I AM ready to lighten my load.




Brilliant, brutal good dirty fun.  I re-read this one, having read it for the first time last year.

Lucky Library Girl, Thanks Mary Beth!

I LOVE coming to work and never in my wildest dreams thought I'd ever find a job which brings me so much happiness. I am separating the actual job from the politics which go on behine the scenes, those are no fun whatsoever and have caused me much UNhappiness. Which is why I'll take working with children any day over cranky ol' grown ups. Just for the record, I'll list some of the jobs I've held in the past:
1. Slave to upper East Side society woman-not enjoyable AT ALL but has given me plenty of material with which to amuse friends and family.

2. Waitress (not the best waitress you'll ever have, but managed to be amusing)

3. Front Desk/Office worker at a private beach club in Sea Bright NJ

4. Cleaning lady for the general population.

5. Cleaning lady/general house care for famous rock star.

6. Sales Coordinator at Dow Jones Financial Publishing

7. Receptionist at medical spa...job perks included free botox and hair removal laser. Doesn't get much better than that.

8. Library Assistant. My friend Mary Beth should get credit for this decision. She always told me I should work in a library. She graduated like 8th in our class. I graduated like 208th. I should've listened to Mare years ago!
9. This summer, I'll be adding Bartender to this list. Weekends will find me tending bar at a beach club in Long Branch.

***

The photos above are the of the Children's Room and exterior at the Branch Library I'm at 3 days a week. How could you not want to settle in for story time with those children? Seriously. I feel so lucky. Thanks, Mary Beth! You were right. I should work in a library!

I guess I just don't get enough of books working at the library, I am obsessed with them even during my off hours.
Oh for enough spare time to read everything which has caught my eye lately. The Help, Cutting for Stone, Mississippi Sissy, the new Christopher Buckley, and on and on and...

NJ Libraries Need Your Help!!!

Want to support New Jersey Libraries?
New Jersey Libraries are facing many challenges today. Please add your voice in support of strong local libraries which provide essential services to you and your family.

Please call Governor Corzine's office (609-292-6000)
and let him know the following:

You are at the library today and wanted to tell him that libraries are important to you and your family and directly impact your quality of life as a resident of New Jersey.

In these difficult economic times more people than ever are using New Jersey libraries. Library usage is rising. People need free access to the Internet.

· It is important to keep state funding for library programs at current levels in the next state budget. State funding for library programs is only $16 million or less than $2.00 per resident. State funding has not increased in 20 years.

· Please no more cuts. Libraries are filling a vital community role.

Please call (609-292-6000) by March 6.

njla.org 2/19/09