But it was a very quiet protest

This article is from today's Albuquerque Journal.

Personally, I enjoy telling people I'm a librarian because I am definitely anything BUT the stereotypical librarian. I always get a double-take because I'm a young one at almost-32. But I think it's mostly because I'm really loud. In my opinion, librarians rank up with lawyers in terms of stereotyping. Not all lawyers are ambulance-chasing rats but if you've heard any lawyer jokes, you know it's a common perception. All librarians, according to the stereotype, are quiet, retiring, older women. There is good reason for that stereotype--many librarians are the quiet retiring older women who shush frequently. The librarian I replaced was that librarian. Visit any library inservice for my district or the annual conference--many versions of this librarian. No, we're not all that person but it is the librarian we all grew up knowing and loving. And fearing, in many cases.

The last time librarians raised this much of a (quiet) ruckus was over the Librarian Action Figure because it, too, perpetuated the stereotypical librarian (which is funny because it was based on an actual librarian).

TV Show's Makers Learn That Hell Hath No Fury Like a Librarian Stereotyped

By Polly Summar
Journal Northern Bureau
SANTA FE— Word came down from on high: "Get on over to the main library— the librarians are picketing!"
It seems that Lions Gate Entertainment was shooting a segment in the Santa Fe downtown library's Southwest Room for a new serial, "The Lost Room," that will appear on the Sci Fi Channel.
The librarians took exception to the actress playing their part; they thought she was too old and frumpy.
For the most part, the filming was a pleasant experience for the librarians. "We were thrilled to work with the Film Commission and the governor," said city library director Patricia Hodapp.
"But when we saw who they brought in to play the librarian," said Hodapp, "well, she's probably 80 years old, gray-haired and frail. That's not us."
In protest, Hodapp began handing out turquoise T-shirts to her staff— a project she had orchestrated in an hour and a half Tuesday over at Desert T's on San Mateo.
The shirts proclaimed: "Santa Fe Public Library ... Not Your Stereotypical Librarians."
These are not women who procrastinate. Not that anyone ever thought librarians did. When they got irritated, they took action. Or, in the interest of not spreading further stereotyping, at least their leader did.
So what did the maligned actress look like? Granted, she was probably older than the librarians, who range in age from 36 to 67.
But she was a typical older Santa Fe lady. You know the type— trim, athletic, active. In fact, one of the crew members said, "She lives here in Santa Fe— name's Lois Geary."
Geary got whisked out the side door of the Southwest Room into a waiting van before she could be interviewed. But how does one ask: "Um, the librarians here are upset because you're old and gray and perpetuate a stereotype. What do you think of that?"
An online search revealed that Geary has credits in films like "Silverado" and television work like PBS' American Playhouse, and she's played a number of roles at the New Mexico Repertory Company and the Santa Fe Theatre Company.
And under the list of "special skills"— billiards, table-tennis, running, comedy.
Not your typical little old lady.
Meanwhile, the serial stars Peter Krause from HBO's "Six Feet Under" and Julianna Margulies from "ER."
The plot of the series involves a motel key that will unlock any door in the world. But apparently, when you unlock that door, you enter the motel room the key originally belonged to, and all the objects in the motel room have special powers.
But you'll have to watch the show to find out why the Southwest Room was used.
And decide whether the actress librarian perpetuates a stereotype.

Doom Buggy

Or perhaps I should call this post "Something's been bugging me..."

Yes, I realize that I sometimes find myself funnier than others do but as Paul often says to me, just because you're not laughing doesn't mean it wasn't funny.

Yesterday afternoon, as I was watering the plants in the backyard, I discovered this big fellow. Thankfully, it didn't jump because the little grasshoppers make me hurt myself trying to get away. I probably would have needed medical attention if this one had moved.


I wanted a size comparison but it was with great trepidition that I put the sprayer beside that thing.

Mum's the word

This was me trying to be arty and snap some pictures of the mums in the yard that are just starting to bloom out. The maroon ones I just planted; the yellow and purple ones I managed to keep alive since I planted them last year. That is a feat in and of itself for she-of-the-fake-grass-yard. There's a reason beyond water conservation as to why we got the fake grass. :)

These purple mums really loved the cool, wet summer. They were little stumps in June but have just sprouted up since and are covered with buds.

I picked up some pansies yesterday to replace the fading petunias I'd had in the pot. My grandmother had johnny-jump-ups (little purple & yellow pansies) in her yard for years. I'd love to find some to plant in my own yard.
And my daylilies are blooming out again. I planted them this spring and they were fairly lackluster all summer. I was pleasantly suprised to notice the new buds a few days ago.

Fall is easily my favorite time of the year. I love the feel of the air, the smells, the look of the landscape. I love the crisp air in the mornings and evenings, when it's time to start thinking of jackets but still too warm during the day to wear one. The colors of leaves changing and fall flowers are my favorites and these figured into the decor of our wedding. The centerpieces for our wedding reception were hollowed-out pumpkins with mums that my mom later planted at their house in Canadian.

I noticed yesterday as I was looking at getting some new plants that I had a genuinely happy smile on my face. I'm generally a pretty cheerful person so it's not unusual but this was different. This was a smile that was there because I was feeling so peaceful and relaxed; a smile I haven't had in some time as I have muddled my way through the last few months. Things have calmed down, my head is in a much better place, and while all still isn't "right" in my world, it just seems that I'm better able to handle those troubles in the fall.

Five years

It's so hard to believe it's been five years since that fateful day in 2001. I feel so uneloquent trying to write any type of tribute or remembrance. There are so many others who were so directly affected, while I was sitting on my couch three-quarters of the country away. But this is definitely one of the "where were you?" dates in history.

I'd gone downstairs to eat breakfast, earlier than usual, and turned on the television as the second plane was hitting the second tower. I was driving to work as I heard that the Pentagon was hit. It was such craziness as teachers were trying to gather bits and pieces of information and keep some amount of sanity in the classroom. Definitely a day that couldn't end soon enough but one that lasted forever. I had to try to get to ABQ's Westside that afternoon--almost impossible since there were barracades around the FAA office that I didn't even know was in town until that day. I stopped by a friend's house to feed her cat, forgetting that she wouldn't be able to leave town on her early morning flight. I spent the rest of the week sitting on the couch, unable to turn off the terrible tragedy or sleep or do much of anything but worry.

Paul was at a conference in Baltimore. Phone lines across the country were tied up and I couldn't get in touch with him until late in the day. I spent the next five days desperately wanting him to be back home. I was so thankful that he would be coming home but feeling so guilty for those people who would never get to see their husbands or wives again.

My inlaws were on their sailboat in Chesapeake Bay and mostly unaware of what was happening in the world. All evening I had relatives calling our house to see if I'd been in touch with them. I didn't even know some of these people had our phone number but I wasn't in touch with my inlaws for a few more days to hear that they were fine.

Everyone eventually got home to me. Paul and his coworker drove across the country in their rented Cavalier, getting home on Sunday afternoon, just two days off-schedule. My inlaws continued their trip as planned, coming home in early November.

I still can't believe that this happened here. It seemed like such improbable tragedy and it was hard to know when it was fine to feel that things had returned to "normal." On our anniversary several weeks later, Paul and I spent a very quiet evening together, going up to the top of the tram and watching the sunset. It was so peaceful and calm--hard to believe that there was so much trouble happening in the world that unfortunately continues today.