Liz B. invited everyone into the sandbox on this one. Here's my Five Things meme, started by . . . somebody, I know not who.
Five Things Meme
Rules for the game:
1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read the player’s blog.
4. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.
What was I doing 10 years ago?
Exactly ten years ago, I was a junior in high school. At that time, I was convinced that NYT bestseller-dom was only a finished book away, and I could support myself by teaching until that happened. Believe it or not, librarianship wasn't even a speck on the horizon.
Five things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Buy a hybrid car
2. Buy a house
3. Take a trip around the world
4. Buy every TV show on DVD I ever wanted, ever.
5. Become Batwoman! (Oh shut up. You would too. Admit it.)
Five jobs that I have had:
1. Babysitter
2. Library page
3. Bakery
4. Temp (for a year. I do not recommend this to anybody. Ever.)
5. Children's librarian
Five of my habits
1. Keeping obsessive track of what I want to read in my Blue Journal
2. Keeping obsessive track of what I have read via LibraryThing
3. Telling myself I will exercise tomorrow. Really. I will.
4. Talking myself out of buying kewl electronic toys
5. Planting flowers, which then die really, really quickly.
Five places I have lived:
1. Various cities, Michigan (that gave me a loathing of snow and all cold weather)
2. Louisville, Kentucky (that gave me Suth'n mannahs, which consist of a lot of Sirs and Ma'ams and being able to cut jerks off at the knees with a sweet smile. At least in my head.)
3. Kingston, Surrey, UK (that gave me a taste for McVittie's and Indian food)
4. Tucson, Arizona (where I left my heart. Really. It was in a jar under my bed when I moved.)
5. LA County, California (that gave me a real hatred of commuting)
I think all my regular taggees have already done this one, so I'll say what Liz said: Wanna play? Jump in!
Showing posts with label meme. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meme. Show all posts
Friday, May 23, 2008
Saturday, December 22, 2007
All I Want for Christmas is a Really Good Book
I’m writing this on a laptop that’s propped up on a folding chair in what once was my childhood bedroom but now appears to be a Stuff Repository that happens to have a bed in it. Merry freakin’ Christmas.
Actually, I’m happy to be home. Or I’m happy to be at my parents’ house, since I haven’t seen them since the last time I was freezing my tush off in the Stuff Repository, last Christmas. If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this annual trek back across the Mississippi, it’s that I’m not meant to live anywhere that gets below freezing on a regular basis. Brrrrrrr.
Since this is meant to be a blog about children’s literature, let me ask you--what is the most memorable book you ever got as a holiday present? How about the top five?
1. Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn
Strange to say, at one time in my youth I was a complete and unrepentent Star Wars freak. Episode One broke my heart so badly I left the fandom, but Zahn’s continuation of the original trilogy came out long before that, which also happened to be long before I had much disposable income to spend on a book. I begged and pleaded and wrote it in large letters at the very top of my Christmas list. It was waiting for me under the tree on Christmas morning, with my brother’s name in the “From” field. The guy could usually take a hint.
2. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth Speare
I got this as part of a Newbery Award winners box set. This was probably from my mother, who is a teacher and can’t help it. The other books were stuff like The Sign of the Beaver--dullsville. But Kit’s adventures in stuffy New England were heady stuff for an eight-year-old; witches and Puritans and Barbados and sexy sea captains, oh my! I’m still very fond of it.
3, 4, 5. Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery
Oh, yeah, I cheated on my own meme. I am so getting coal in my stocking.
Around the time they got their 12th grandchild, my grandparents gave up on the whole picking out gifts thing and gave each of us a shopping spree with Grandma and Grandpa. Needless to say, I headed right for the bookstore, which is where I found these three books and the entire set besides. I’d read the first before, but none of the others. I don’t think anyone will argue with me that numbers four through god-knows were pretty forgettable, but the trilogy formed by the first three books is the greatest character arc of Anne Shirley, the red-headed orphan. They can be overly sweet sometimes, but Montgomery’s gift for drawing everyday characters and concerns in the midst of the Romantic movement makes these books a consistent good read.
Unfortunately, as the years went on, my book tastes got so esoteric (read: romance novels that I was embarassed to let my parents know I read) that I started asking for Barnes & Noble gift cards instead. But I’ve gotten some great stuff under the tree in my time.
I tag anyone reading this. Anyone? Bueller?
Actually, I’m happy to be home. Or I’m happy to be at my parents’ house, since I haven’t seen them since the last time I was freezing my tush off in the Stuff Repository, last Christmas. If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this annual trek back across the Mississippi, it’s that I’m not meant to live anywhere that gets below freezing on a regular basis. Brrrrrrr.
Since this is meant to be a blog about children’s literature, let me ask you--what is the most memorable book you ever got as a holiday present? How about the top five?
1. Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn
Strange to say, at one time in my youth I was a complete and unrepentent Star Wars freak. Episode One broke my heart so badly I left the fandom, but Zahn’s continuation of the original trilogy came out long before that, which also happened to be long before I had much disposable income to spend on a book. I begged and pleaded and wrote it in large letters at the very top of my Christmas list. It was waiting for me under the tree on Christmas morning, with my brother’s name in the “From” field. The guy could usually take a hint.
2. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth Speare
I got this as part of a Newbery Award winners box set. This was probably from my mother, who is a teacher and can’t help it. The other books were stuff like The Sign of the Beaver--dullsville. But Kit’s adventures in stuffy New England were heady stuff for an eight-year-old; witches and Puritans and Barbados and sexy sea captains, oh my! I’m still very fond of it.
3, 4, 5. Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery
Oh, yeah, I cheated on my own meme. I am so getting coal in my stocking.
Around the time they got their 12th grandchild, my grandparents gave up on the whole picking out gifts thing and gave each of us a shopping spree with Grandma and Grandpa. Needless to say, I headed right for the bookstore, which is where I found these three books and the entire set besides. I’d read the first before, but none of the others. I don’t think anyone will argue with me that numbers four through god-knows were pretty forgettable, but the trilogy formed by the first three books is the greatest character arc of Anne Shirley, the red-headed orphan. They can be overly sweet sometimes, but Montgomery’s gift for drawing everyday characters and concerns in the midst of the Romantic movement makes these books a consistent good read.
Unfortunately, as the years went on, my book tastes got so esoteric (read: romance novels that I was embarassed to let my parents know I read) that I started asking for Barnes & Noble gift cards instead. But I’ve gotten some great stuff under the tree in my time.
I tag anyone reading this. Anyone? Bueller?
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Picture Book Meme
A couple of weeks ago, 2nd gen librarian came up with a meme that's taken me this long to finish. Why?
Umm . . . I don't really remember any picture books from when I was little. I don't know why this should be, except that I jumped into longer stuff very, very early.
This is very embarrassing.
I had to call my mom. Here's what she said:
The Popcorn Book by Tomie dePaola
I remember this nonfiction book very vividly for some reason. I remember the way that popcorn exploded all over the page, and the illustration of the little demon in the popcorn getting madder and madder as he heated up. The story not so much, but I still love Tomie dePaola's artwork.
Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard, illus. James Marshall
Oh my gosh! I felt sooooooooo smart because I knew that Miss Nelson and Miss Viola Swamp were the same person. That crafty Miss Nelson!
Corduroy by Don Freeman
Now reminded, I vividly recall my envy of Corduroy. He got to wander the department store on his own, at night! Even if that ol' security guard did catch him when he tried to pull the button off the mattress and knocked a lamp over.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
I don't remember adoring this book but my mom swears I did. Her theory is that it was the holes and the different sizes of page, and the huge variety of the caterpillar's meals. I still like reading it today.
Amelia Bedelia series by Peggy Parish
Loved the humor of this. (Mom again.) I still have a real soft spot for Amelia Bedelia, and the language play inherent in the books. I talk to people about idioms and figures of speech, but I think it's the same thrill I got when reading Miss Nelson is Missing, that I knew something the character didn't. Of course, I enjoy a good havoc, and Amelia Bedelia brought the havoc.
So that's it. Thanks for tagging me! It brought back memories. I tag anyone who's reading this who hasn't done it yet.
Umm . . . I don't really remember any picture books from when I was little. I don't know why this should be, except that I jumped into longer stuff very, very early.
This is very embarrassing.
I had to call my mom. Here's what she said:
The Popcorn Book by Tomie dePaola
I remember this nonfiction book very vividly for some reason. I remember the way that popcorn exploded all over the page, and the illustration of the little demon in the popcorn getting madder and madder as he heated up. The story not so much, but I still love Tomie dePaola's artwork.
Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard, illus. James Marshall
Oh my gosh! I felt sooooooooo smart because I knew that Miss Nelson and Miss Viola Swamp were the same person. That crafty Miss Nelson!
Corduroy by Don Freeman
Now reminded, I vividly recall my envy of Corduroy. He got to wander the department store on his own, at night! Even if that ol' security guard did catch him when he tried to pull the button off the mattress and knocked a lamp over.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
I don't remember adoring this book but my mom swears I did. Her theory is that it was the holes and the different sizes of page, and the huge variety of the caterpillar's meals. I still like reading it today.
Amelia Bedelia series by Peggy Parish
Loved the humor of this. (Mom again.) I still have a real soft spot for Amelia Bedelia, and the language play inherent in the books. I talk to people about idioms and figures of speech, but I think it's the same thrill I got when reading Miss Nelson is Missing, that I knew something the character didn't. Of course, I enjoy a good havoc, and Amelia Bedelia brought the havoc.
So that's it. Thanks for tagging me! It brought back memories. I tag anyone who's reading this who hasn't done it yet.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Library Meme
Okay folks, here's another Teen Read Week meme. I can't claim credit for this one, though. I found it at E. Lockhart's blog, and she found it through MemeGirls.
1. How old were you when you got your first library card?
I think I must have been about ten. At any rate, after the age of ten is when I remember losing my library card. And again. And again. Aaaaaaaaaand again. The family joke is that I paid for my hometown's new library with the lost-card and overdue fees.
2. What's the first book you can remember reading from a library?
That is lost in the mists of time. Knowing my mother (a teacher who fed us all the books we would consume), something really good for kids. Possibly Seussian in nature.
3. Did you ever participate in a summer reading program or other kids' event at a library growing up?
Oh, heck, yes. I was that annoying one who finished first every year.
4. Do you remember when card catalogues weren't computerized?
I do, actually, although I don't remember using them much. It was a Big Hairy Deal when they did get computerized, so much so that my entire class was marched about a half-mile down the road to visit the library and learn how our lives would be changed by computer catalogs. At which point we whined about how far we were gonna have to walk back.
5. When was the last time you went to the library?
Since I'm a children's librarian . . . today.
6. How many books do you usually check out of the library at one time?
I allow myself two per workday, or my library-book-shelf would collapse from the weight. It's groaning now.
7. Name one great author you've discovered at your library.
Just one? Puh. Ooookay. Although this will sound like sucking up . . . E. Lockhart.
8. What was the librarian at your elementary school like?
I had three elementary schools because of moves. The first was unmemorable. Possibly she did not exist. The second was a strange one . . . while she was cool enough to lead me to Nancy Drew in second grade, she made me read them in order. ??? The third was made of awesome. Hi, Mrs. Robb from Bird School in Plymouth, Michigan! You are AWESOME!
9. How many times a year do you go to the library?
I'm guesstimating 250. See answer to #5.
10. If you could change on thing about your library, what would it be and why?
It needs to be bigger. Way bigger. And have all the books I want to read in it. As long as we're dreaming.
1. How old were you when you got your first library card?
I think I must have been about ten. At any rate, after the age of ten is when I remember losing my library card. And again. And again. Aaaaaaaaaand again. The family joke is that I paid for my hometown's new library with the lost-card and overdue fees.
2. What's the first book you can remember reading from a library?
That is lost in the mists of time. Knowing my mother (a teacher who fed us all the books we would consume), something really good for kids. Possibly Seussian in nature.
3. Did you ever participate in a summer reading program or other kids' event at a library growing up?
Oh, heck, yes. I was that annoying one who finished first every year.
4. Do you remember when card catalogues weren't computerized?
I do, actually, although I don't remember using them much. It was a Big Hairy Deal when they did get computerized, so much so that my entire class was marched about a half-mile down the road to visit the library and learn how our lives would be changed by computer catalogs. At which point we whined about how far we were gonna have to walk back.
5. When was the last time you went to the library?
Since I'm a children's librarian . . . today.
6. How many books do you usually check out of the library at one time?
I allow myself two per workday, or my library-book-shelf would collapse from the weight. It's groaning now.
7. Name one great author you've discovered at your library.
Just one? Puh. Ooookay. Although this will sound like sucking up . . . E. Lockhart.
8. What was the librarian at your elementary school like?
I had three elementary schools because of moves. The first was unmemorable. Possibly she did not exist. The second was a strange one . . . while she was cool enough to lead me to Nancy Drew in second grade, she made me read them in order. ??? The third was made of awesome. Hi, Mrs. Robb from Bird School in Plymouth, Michigan! You are AWESOME!
9. How many times a year do you go to the library?
I'm guesstimating 250. See answer to #5.
10. If you could change on thing about your library, what would it be and why?
It needs to be bigger. Way bigger. And have all the books I want to read in it. As long as we're dreaming.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Teen Read Week
It's Teen Read Week! Yay! In honor of this once-a-year event, here's a meme for y'all:
What were your three favorite books as a teenager? Doesn't need to be a teen book necessarily, just what you read between the ages of 12 and 18ish. I'll start.
3) The Blue Sword - Robin McKinley
The danger! The romance! The horses! The sword(s)! How can any teenage girl not eat this book up?
2) A Ring of Endless Light - Madeleine L'Engle
My love for this book has been documented elsewhere in this blog. Vicky's confusion abut the Big Questions certainly spoke to my lost and floundering teenage mind, and helped me explore some wounds that had been raw and open for years.
1) Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
I'm counting this because I was eighteen when I first read it all the way through, and I still read it today. Sly, funny, dry, so veddy veddy British, and most of all? To quote Bridget Jones: Mr Darcy. Phwoar.
Hmmm. Interesting. Between the ages of 12 and 18, my reading matter was almost 100% romance novels, yet when pressed I come up with three non-romance novels. Don't get me wrong, I still love 'em, but no romance novel that I read at that age comes to mind anymore.
Okay, I'm tagging 2nd gen librarian and Wizard's Wireless. This is revenge for the picture book meme, which I still haven't finished. Go to!
What were your three favorite books as a teenager? Doesn't need to be a teen book necessarily, just what you read between the ages of 12 and 18ish. I'll start.
3) The Blue Sword - Robin McKinley
The danger! The romance! The horses! The sword(s)! How can any teenage girl not eat this book up?
2) A Ring of Endless Light - Madeleine L'Engle
My love for this book has been documented elsewhere in this blog. Vicky's confusion abut the Big Questions certainly spoke to my lost and floundering teenage mind, and helped me explore some wounds that had been raw and open for years.
1) Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
I'm counting this because I was eighteen when I first read it all the way through, and I still read it today. Sly, funny, dry, so veddy veddy British, and most of all? To quote Bridget Jones: Mr Darcy. Phwoar.
Hmmm. Interesting. Between the ages of 12 and 18, my reading matter was almost 100% romance novels, yet when pressed I come up with three non-romance novels. Don't get me wrong, I still love 'em, but no romance novel that I read at that age comes to mind anymore.
Okay, I'm tagging 2nd gen librarian and Wizard's Wireless. This is revenge for the picture book meme, which I still haven't finished. Go to!
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