How I avoid blogging:
1. Washing breakfast dishes
2. Showering
3. Trimming toe nails
4. Going to work
5. Reading other blogs
6. Commenting on other blogs
7. Working at home
8. Housekeeping.
OK. Time for the rubber to hit the super highway. (Does ayone still call the internet that? besides me?) I should have listed reading novels as another blog avoidance technique.
Maul by Tricia Sullivan. Cover quote: "This is the new face of Feminist SF" Cheryl Morgan. Blurb: "Sheri S. Tepper meets Neal Stephenson (and kicks his ass!) in this feminist-cyberpunk thriller by Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author Tricia Sullivan."
I am not so sure. The opening pargraphs were gripping enough, and the plot lines convoluted, so I promoted this title from lunch/break reading to taking it home for a weekend. Unfortunately, girls with guns creating havoc as a game for human male lab rats in a future where viruses have killed most men did not really hold my attention after around 80 pages. Hard to think how that could become very predictable, but it did. I don't think I have ever felt that Sheri or Neal had painted themselves into such corners. I guess I think Sullivan's character development was too shallow. I did not feel invested in main characters Sun or Meniscus. Having the narrative go back and forth between them just made it seem disjointed, and the ending too much deus ex machina even for me, and I like deuses and machinas. Oh well. Hum ho. Could be worse. I did like the cover art.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Metrics, moi?
We've been measured. It is not true that I am innumerate, though Quicken did make me cry. No, I am a high-functioning dyslexic. Fortunately, the dyslexia does not affect my reading or spelling. Apparently, I read by shape. Good thing, as I missed phonics in school entirely. Unfortunately, numbers swim. In recent days, they are even doing the back stroke. But I did find an error in a spreadsheet from HQ today, which my staff ascribed to divine powers (they know I muddle Dewey numbers relentlessly).
Anyhow, the fabulous Walt Crawford has released a study over at Cites & Insights, (I've been in love with Walt and C&I since 1996, I think): "Perspective: Looking at Liblogs: The Great Middle."
"Biblioblather
No motto. Author: lislemck. Established March 2005. First March topic: "Bibliomemetica, cont." (a meme). Most comments (3): "Gubmint cheeeeeeese?"
Metrics: More conversational (1.29), 5th longest essays (681 words per post)."
That's this in a nutshell. Chatty and windy. I am thrilled that Walt still subscribes via Bloglines. I can pretty much pin the "blather" as inspired by C&I, though I do think I take it to greater heights, or is that depths? I can hardly believe I make it into the Great Middle, but it's you guys, the 21 Blogliners, 7 Feedburners, and 12 LiveJournal friends...geez, I hadn't counted the total in like a year, since I went into semi-retirement. Of course, it's the quality, not the quantity...gag.
Speaking of which, if I had a motto, should it be "Numbers? We don't need no stinking numbers?" That is too harsh. I even like the occasionalional chart. And I am limitlessly proud that my branch's circulation stats (as we live and die), have had double-digit increases over the previous year's stats for seven straight months! July 2006, 33.9% higher than 2005. Woo hoo. Those are numbers to warm the cockles of my heart.
I am going to spend some time looking at Walt's list--though I can barely glance at my five faves on a regular basis. Still, liblogs have enriched me on so many levels, besides this one keeping me slightly sane.
Motto: "Wondering if there really is a dog?"
Anyhow, the fabulous Walt Crawford has released a study over at Cites & Insights, (I've been in love with Walt and C&I since 1996, I think): "Perspective: Looking at Liblogs: The Great Middle."
"Biblioblather
No motto. Author: lislemck. Established March 2005. First March topic: "Bibliomemetica, cont." (a meme). Most comments (3): "Gubmint cheeeeeeese?"
Metrics: More conversational (1.29), 5th longest essays (681 words per post)."
That's this in a nutshell. Chatty and windy. I am thrilled that Walt still subscribes via Bloglines. I can pretty much pin the "blather" as inspired by C&I, though I do think I take it to greater heights, or is that depths? I can hardly believe I make it into the Great Middle, but it's you guys, the 21 Blogliners, 7 Feedburners, and 12 LiveJournal friends...geez, I hadn't counted the total in like a year, since I went into semi-retirement. Of course, it's the quality, not the quantity...gag.
Speaking of which, if I had a motto, should it be "Numbers? We don't need no stinking numbers?" That is too harsh. I even like the occasionalional chart. And I am limitlessly proud that my branch's circulation stats (as we live and die), have had double-digit increases over the previous year's stats for seven straight months! July 2006, 33.9% higher than 2005. Woo hoo. Those are numbers to warm the cockles of my heart.
I am going to spend some time looking at Walt's list--though I can barely glance at my five faves on a regular basis. Still, liblogs have enriched me on so many levels, besides this one keeping me slightly sane.
Motto: "Wondering if there really is a dog?"
Monday, August 07, 2006
Open WorldCat on B-cubed!
If the gods and goddesses of bibliodom are willing, you should see a WorldCat search box on the bar to your right. I just checked and it was there! Might even be worth popping over from your aggregator for a minute. Forgive me if you got two posts. I am pinching myself purple. My little rainbow friend (the OWC icon/favicon) is gracing my blog and it is completely legal. I signed the agreement. This means I am in a official relationship with OCLC.
I am sure this seems a little over-the-top weirdness to some of you. I can't help remembering all the years when I had to beg friends in ILL or Cataloging to let me search OCLC. It was always a big deal. I guess they worried I would corrupt their records. As if. I am the first to report such when I find it, which is not always welcomed by catalog departments. But really, I just wanted to search those records. I remember being thrilled when I found the illegal backdoor from AbeBooks. I also remember when it was taken away.
Putting the Boot In by Dan Kavanagh (better known as Julian Barnes) is available at a number of California academic libraries, and even at King County Library System. One of them is bound to do an Inter-Library Loan...
I know that lots of libraries/librarians are upset that content they have been paying to add and to search is now free. I assume that OCLC will be changing its fee structure. It is indeed the members' content, their holdings. WorldCat is such a great, good thing. For libraries, all our ships will rise with this tide. If it were in my power, this would be on MPOW's site tomorrow. I will definitely suggest it!
I am sure this seems a little over-the-top weirdness to some of you. I can't help remembering all the years when I had to beg friends in ILL or Cataloging to let me search OCLC. It was always a big deal. I guess they worried I would corrupt their records. As if. I am the first to report such when I find it, which is not always welcomed by catalog departments. But really, I just wanted to search those records. I remember being thrilled when I found the illegal backdoor from AbeBooks. I also remember when it was taken away.
Putting the Boot In by Dan Kavanagh (better known as Julian Barnes) is available at a number of California academic libraries, and even at King County Library System. One of them is bound to do an Inter-Library Loan...
I know that lots of libraries/librarians are upset that content they have been paying to add and to search is now free. I assume that OCLC will be changing its fee structure. It is indeed the members' content, their holdings. WorldCat is such a great, good thing. For libraries, all our ships will rise with this tide. If it were in my power, this would be on MPOW's site tomorrow. I will definitely suggest it!
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Dopes and DOPA
ALA | House Passes Bill Restricting Social-Networking Sites in Libraries
OK folks, I lure the teens into the library with MySpace. OK, I am exploiting Dungeons & Dragons, and planning a video game night in the fall, too. They find out about the manga and the video game cheats, I mean magazines. They meet the girl who read over 20,000 pages for summer reading! She hands them Sabriel. Maybe...Really--it works. AND I DO PROGRAMS ON INTERNET SAFETY, YOU MUGGINS. Which they won't learn about in the cool kid's basement (his parents don't filter, are never home, and fully stock their bar--you know, that kid!) Grrrrr.
OK folks, I lure the teens into the library with MySpace. OK, I am exploiting Dungeons & Dragons, and planning a video game night in the fall, too. They find out about the manga and the video game cheats, I mean magazines. They meet the girl who read over 20,000 pages for summer reading! She hands them Sabriel. Maybe...Really--it works. AND I DO PROGRAMS ON INTERNET SAFETY, YOU MUGGINS. Which they won't learn about in the cool kid's basement (his parents don't filter, are never home, and fully stock their bar--you know, that kid!) Grrrrr.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Showing that librarianly love
Voices by Ursula K. LeGuin [No WorldCat link yet. Thank me for wending my way through UKLG's site to get you to the title--the image map is pretty but excruciating, IMHO.]
Granted, I may have read too many teen novels, in particular, in speculative fiction. Oh Podkayne, what a road you led me down! I remain willing to walk down that road.
Thank goodness for friends in Collection Development! Non-biblio folk just don't know the joy of having your own personal librarians watching out for you. Once again, I got a review copy of something I wanted. Brand new pre-release date Ursula K. LeGuin. "Score!" yells the junkie.
So I entered the Annals of the Western Shore. I somehow missed the first book in the series, Gifts. Don't miss the review by ricklibrarian.
(It's starting to frighten me that I have had some communication with reviewers on WorldCat. Guess it takes a certain type to heed that call. Or the biblioblogosphere is even smaller than already suspected. But I am glad WorldCat is getting more content, in an interactive manner. )
(Another aside--my apologies! MPOW has an online summer reading program this year. It allows kids and teens to log their reading, get certificates and prizes, sponsor an animal shelter adoption, and write reviews that display online. So far, the reviews are pretty funny. One title was "good and boring." I would love to see a teen's take on Voices. Actually, I love when the teens write just about anything, even "You Suck Ass" on a customer comment form last month. I just wish I knew which experience led them to voice that. Of course, there's a chance it wasn't a teen.)
Ok. Our heroine, Memer is a siege orphan, the result of her mother's rape by an enemy soldier. The enemies are from a monotheistic desert culture. Memer's culture is polytheistic, with tiny altars and temples everywhere. The bad guys have come to Memer's port city to destroy her culture. They are particularly opposed to books and reading. Along with killing, maiming, and starving many of the city's residents, they have thrown every book they can find in the bay.
Memer lives in a partly destroyed mansion. Her mother lived and worked in the house. It is the home of the Waylord. The Waylord had been a local dignitary, who the enemy has tortured and crippled. Memer knows how to get into a secret room--her mother and she hid there from the soliders at one point. The room is filled with books, and something strange, involving running water. Memer meets the Waylord in the secret room, and he agrees to teach her how to read, even though it is dangerous.
Of course, I am completely hooked. The story is pretty formulaic, but LeGuin transforms the ordinariness of the plot with her exploration of the dynamics between characters and cultures. It is not heavy handed, or incredibly deep, but it is a nice exploration of enmity, war, history, belief structures, the role of storytellers, story makers, and librarians! Yeah, us. Books, dear books. I just have to keep reading.
Granted, I may have read too many teen novels, in particular, in speculative fiction. Oh Podkayne, what a road you led me down! I remain willing to walk down that road.
Thank goodness for friends in Collection Development! Non-biblio folk just don't know the joy of having your own personal librarians watching out for you. Once again, I got a review copy of something I wanted. Brand new pre-release date Ursula K. LeGuin. "Score!" yells the junkie.
So I entered the Annals of the Western Shore. I somehow missed the first book in the series, Gifts. Don't miss the review by ricklibrarian.
(It's starting to frighten me that I have had some communication with reviewers on WorldCat. Guess it takes a certain type to heed that call. Or the biblioblogosphere is even smaller than already suspected. But I am glad WorldCat is getting more content, in an interactive manner. )
(Another aside--my apologies! MPOW has an online summer reading program this year. It allows kids and teens to log their reading, get certificates and prizes, sponsor an animal shelter adoption, and write reviews that display online. So far, the reviews are pretty funny. One title was "good and boring." I would love to see a teen's take on Voices. Actually, I love when the teens write just about anything, even "You Suck Ass" on a customer comment form last month. I just wish I knew which experience led them to voice that. Of course, there's a chance it wasn't a teen.)
Ok. Our heroine, Memer is a siege orphan, the result of her mother's rape by an enemy soldier. The enemies are from a monotheistic desert culture. Memer's culture is polytheistic, with tiny altars and temples everywhere. The bad guys have come to Memer's port city to destroy her culture. They are particularly opposed to books and reading. Along with killing, maiming, and starving many of the city's residents, they have thrown every book they can find in the bay.
Memer lives in a partly destroyed mansion. Her mother lived and worked in the house. It is the home of the Waylord. The Waylord had been a local dignitary, who the enemy has tortured and crippled. Memer knows how to get into a secret room--her mother and she hid there from the soliders at one point. The room is filled with books, and something strange, involving running water. Memer meets the Waylord in the secret room, and he agrees to teach her how to read, even though it is dangerous.
Of course, I am completely hooked. The story is pretty formulaic, but LeGuin transforms the ordinariness of the plot with her exploration of the dynamics between characters and cultures. It is not heavy handed, or incredibly deep, but it is a nice exploration of enmity, war, history, belief structures, the role of storytellers, story makers, and librarians! Yeah, us. Books, dear books. I just have to keep reading.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
