Opinions Needed - And Fast!

So there is a job opening in my library system for a branch manager. It has been open for quite some time now, but I kind of thought I'd wait and see if they filled it, and if they didn't -- and re-opened it, then I'd apply at that point. And I was happy with that decision (probably mostly because I could just not do anything about it...). But then today, my boss at the library called me to the back and asked me if I had seen the job posting. She said she understood there were "negatives" to my taking that job, but she wanted to be sure I knew that she would understand if I wanted to try for other positions, even though I've only been in my position there for 2.5 months. She said she knows I'm a professional librarian and that I will naturally want a professional position. So I told her my thoughts, assuring her that I had seen the posting. And she said that, while they try to get professionals into certain positions, if none apply, they very well may opt to hire a paraprofessional for the position just to fill it, if they have no other choice. So there's the possibility that they wouldn't re-open the position at all, and would instead fill it with someone less qualified than I am. (Not that I'm tooting my horn saying I'm uber-qualified or anything. Just that I have the degree they want to have, and the experience -- well, except I've never managed other people). So here we go with a decision I need to make -- and fast (as in the close date for application is Friday -- as in the day after tomorrow :)).

The pros of this position are that I would be a library manager. Yes, I've been that before, but it's a little different here, and I'll be managing other people. This will look fabulous on a resume. It's a small library, and I like that. I loved Ashford. I loved the small-town feel of it all. This position is an increase in pay by about $7000 a year, and I'll be working a lot less hours. 28 to be exact over the course of 4 days a week. Which would mean I could take on a part-time job if I really wanted to. Plus it still has all the insurance and retirement benefits I enjoy now as part of the library system.

The cons of this position, were I to be offered it, are as follows: It's 3 hours away. I'd have to relocate. I'm so ready to be on my own, it's not even funny. But I moved to Washington, in part, to be close to my family. Living 3 hours away is practically like living in another state. It would be a "trip" to come and see my mom and my siblings and my nieces and nephews. (Although I would be a lot closer to Forks, so maybe that's a plus ;) -- haha, totally kidding). The other thing is that this library is kind of out in the boonies. It's about 40 minutes to the nearest real town, though my understanding is that there are some convenience stores and such there. Plus it's probably beautiful, since it's in the rainforest and right next to a lake in the Olympics. And it's a bit less expensive to live there according to alligator Bob, so my salary should probably be sufficient. I'm pretty sure I could live on that salary here where the cost of living is a bit higher, so I think I could definitely live there just fine. Mostly my biggest concern is being as far away from my family. The kids already grow up so fast.

But I'm single. And I don't have anything tying me here. I could pick up and move to Timbuktu if I wanted (though my best friend tells me I'm not allowed to leave the States). And this is a great opportunity to get a really great position on my resume (possibly -- this is all assuming I even was offered the job). And there's nothing to say I would have to stay there for the rest of my life. It could just be a stepping stone. A way to get that kind of a position under my belt and then, should something open up here in this county, I could apply for it and maybe have more of a chance of being considered.

Ultimately, I've never wanted to be a career woman, it's true. But like one of my favorite quotes reminds me: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." What I had planned for my life is not what I'm doing now. I wanted to be a wife and a mother. And somewhere along the way, I got a bit derailed. And while they are still what I want, I am learning to accept that they may not be what I get. And so maybe I need to consider this, because maybe it's the path I need to take.

And I totally realize that, in the end, the decision to apply or not apply -- or to accept the job or not accept it, should I be offered it -- is mine and mine alone. I will have to pray about it and ponder it. But it never hurts to ask my loved ones (ie all of you ;)) what their opinions are. So, feel free to comment with any thoughts :).

Nothing to Write Home About

That's my life. Dull. Boring. Routine. Though Alysha tells me she loves my life, because I am always hanging out with friends. She must text me when I'm doing something more interesting than working, because I'm not sure what she's talking about ;). Because here's a typical day in Nilla-land:

My alarm starts going off at 7:30 in the morning. I usually hit the snooze button at least once, so that's an extra 5 minutes. Sometimes I hit it 2 times, though :). I'm a girl who loves her morning sleep. I drag out of bed, utter morning prayers (and I'm not going to lie... they could be a lot better and more ponderous rather than me just trying to stay awake during them), and haul myself out for my morning routine, which consists of washing my face, putting in my contacts, and brushing my teeth. Then I come back to my room and decide what I'm going to wear. Some days I'm a bit smarter than others, and I start pondering my wardrobe while brushing my teeth or whatever. I grab my laptop bag -- with laptop, of course, my purse, and I head upstairs. I pour some orange juice in a bottle and take it with me to the funeral home. I usually also try to find something quick I can grab for lunch. Then it's off to the funeral home, where I work from 8 to 9:15. Then I drive 20 minutes to the library -- and drink my OJ on the way. I work at the library from 9:45 to 1:45. If I'm wearing my pockets, then you can text me and I will respond. If not, my phone will be locked up in my locker. Some days I make the mail run -- which takes between 15 and 20 minutes. Other days the boss makes the mail run. By 1:45, I'm ready to head out. And so I do. Back to the funeral home, where I continue to work (and work the crossword puzzle with Bob) until 5:15 or 6, depending on the day of the week. If it's Monday, Wednesday, or Friday and not rainy (yesterday was terribly rainy and windy), I meet Wendy at the walking track, and we walk for about 45 minutes. I come home, water my tomato plants (the tallest of which is now about 2 feet -- and they still have about 2 weeks before ground planting...), and get a shower. Sometimes I go watch a movie with a friend. Sometimes I run errands at the store. Sometimes I hang out at home. It's really not thrilling at all.

Today they did a grill out at the funeral home. Not really sure why. But whatever. Buck and Bob were so nice, they cooked up my steak when I got back from the library so that I wouldn't have to have a cold or re-heated one. Plus they saved me a baked potato and brownie. Such nice guys.
I had a dream the other night in which I lost three of my top teeth on the left side. They were the three right behind my pointy canine tooth, and they all came out at the same time, because for some reason, they were all attached to each other. And I remember later in the dream, I had more teeth fall out, and I put them in a glass of milk, because they say you are supposed to do that if you have a tooth come out with its root attached (true story). My mind is strange. It juggles around a lot of different stuff and sticks it all together in a semi-cohesive dream. The losing my teeth thing is a recurring dream (or should I say nightmare?) thing for me. I think I have a serious subconscious fear of it.

I made a list of most of my movies. Last count was somewhere around 110. That's both VHS and DVD, and it doesn't include my tv episodes. I don't know why I love to buy movies so much.

My laptop battery is about to die. It's going on midnight. I have to go to sleep. So I am done :). Just felt like doing a little bloggity blog.

P.S. Today Saria turned 9. That seems unbelievable to me. Next year is double digits. Scary thought.

Because Thorns Have Roses

Is there something going around? It seems like so many people are getting hit with tough trials right now. Good, decent, wonderful people. So in honor of trying to look on the bright side, I'm going to find some roses among the figurative (and copious) thorns I'm feeling poked by ;). Because as Ziggy (and probably someone else that isn't animated) said: "You can complain because roses have thorns, or rejoice, because thorns have roses."

I'm so thankful that my tomato plants are growing so much! It's so exciting to watch them. Just about 2 more weeks, and I'll be planting them outside :)! Still hoping for good production!

I'm so thankful for a good night's sleep. Because I can remember times when I didn't have that in my life. I can remember laying awake for hours tossing and changing positions in the hope of finally drifting off into blissful sleep. It was awful. And now, most nights, I drop off within 15 minutes. And that alone is bliss.

In a tanked economy where there are over 10,000 unemployed people in the county in which I live, I am thankful to have, not only one job, but 2. And yeah, it can get old getting up at 7:30 and working 6 days a week. But I have the money to meet my obligations and then some. And so I am thankful to have work, even when I'm tired.

I am thankful to have insurance. Good insurance. For vision, dental, and health. Because already, that insurance is going to good use. I've visited the dentist (though my cleaning isn't scheduled until May 21) and my first "introductory" visit and my teeth cleaning will be free. And, due to some bum circumstances, it will save me $500 on re-crowning one of my teeth. And yeah, it stinks to pay $500 more on this same stinkin' tooth. But it could have been $1000. And it could have gotten worse if I hadn't been able to go the dentist now.

I am so thankful to have true-blue, stand-beside-you-through-everything, be-there-for-you-for-anything friends. Lots of them. I know there are people who don't have a clue what a friend like that is like. I'm so thankful I do.

I'm thankful to have nieces and nephews who love me and whom I can see frequently. Ones who say, "My daddy (speaking of Brad) is 17." And when he is corrected that his daddy is actually 28, he replies, "Oh my gosh! Dad had a birthday while we were asleep!" Because then you can't help but smile. And for that small moment, all is right with the world.

There are so many roses among my thorns. And sometimes I just need to stop and count them. And then smell them ;). And for now, I'm going to curl up with my laptop and watch an awesomely 80s chick flick that I borrowed from the library. And since it's an I Love the 80s one, it also came with a CD of four 80s songs. How awesome is that?

Heavy Sigh

So Saturday night, I went over to my friend Wendy's for a chick flick night. We also made yummy salads. Wendy got the greens and bacon for bacon bits. I brought all the other fixin's. It was yummy. And healthier than what we would normally do. Well, until the gourmet cupcakes that Wendy had bought. I'm pretty sure those squashed out the good intentions ;). I had also taken some cans of that V8 Fusion stuff. We have two flavors at home: blueberry pomegranate and strawberry banana. I learned a valuable lesson. These are yummy. But only when you drink them while eating something salty. Don't drink them after you've eaten something truly sweet, because then it just tastes like you are sucking down slightly sweetened vegetables. Heavy sigh. I think I got a good taste of beets, because those are the only vegetable in that mixture that I am sure can taste as bad as it tasted after the gourmet cupcake. Which was flavored like raspberry lemoncello, in case you wanted to know. But other than that, it was a great evening. We watched French Kiss and The Blind Side. Both awesome movies.

Sunday was a great day. We (the Ward Choir) sang. I love singing with the choir. I didn't ever think I would like it. But I do. I love it. And my lesson went well. Bribery works well on 12 and 13 year olds ;). Granted, we usually only scratch the surface of the lesson. It's hard to keep their attention. But if they get just one thing out of the lesson that they didn't know before, then that is good. While in my class, one of the kids started singing. The other class members told him to stop singing. I said, "Yeah. You can only sing if you are going to join the Ward Choir." I was joking of course. Another kid in the class piped up, "No, you don't want to join the choir and sing with all the old people." I looked at him and said, "Hey! I sing with the choir!" And he said, "Exactly. Old people." Heavy sigh. I am officially old. When did that happen!?! On the positive side, I am learning a lot just from teaching. They ask questions -- and sometimes I don't know answers. So I come home and study their questions so I can return with an answer the following week. I like the kids I teach. They are good kids. I think this will be an enjoyable time for me. I hope it will be for them as well.

It's awkward when someone comes up to you at the end of Relief Society and tells you she "has a guy for you." It just is.

When it comes to Jelly Bellys, don't mix lemon with juicy pear. Juicy pear flavor is gross enough on its own (seriously, Brad and I used to try to give each other that flavor because it was the worst one -- or maybe tied with the coffee one). But just don't mix lemon with juicy pear. It tastes like vomit. Ugh.

Thinking something is going to happen a certain way and being excited about it, only to have it go kaput, kind of stinks. But I suppose that is life.

For Love of the Library

As we come to the end of National Library Week, I thought I would make a little post about libraries in general and include a bit of commentary from a library employee perspective :).

Libraries are awesome. They are a very important part of a democratic society -- a fact I didn't really think about until I was in library school. A good library (particularly public libraries in this case) will have a variety of information, even if that information might offend some people. Consider the fact that there are mulitple books on the shelf in the library where I work that give tips on how to grow certain illegal substances. While I personally may not agree with the views and information made available in books in the library, I recognize that having those materials is a sign of a democracy. People are allowed to choose.

Libraries are awesome. They are, in a way, an equalizer. All people can use a public library. You don't have to drive a certain car, earn a certain amount of money, have a certain number of children, etc. If you are a resident of an area, you can generally obtain library privelegs. If you are just passing through, you can still benefit from some of the services a public library offers, such as computer usage. And a public library provides access to things some people can't otherwise afford. How awesome is that!?!

Libraries are awesome. They provide hours of entertainment and learning through books, movies, CDs, and a bunch of other things.

So the next time there is a tax increase suggested on behalf of the libraries (again, mainly public libraries in this case), you should see it as a good thing. It is really the only way public libraries get any funding. And yes, I recognize it can be difficult to watch taxes go higher. But think of the benefits. Perhaps for the price of one book brand new at Barnes & Noble, you are creating a better chance to have access to thousands upon thousands of books -- not to mention all the other materials you can borrow from your library. For the price of one book! Talk about an amazing return on an investment!

Okay, so I'm done "selling" the library.

Here are a couple of things you may not realize. Things that just go with the territory of the public library ;).

When you handle a lot of books, your hands dry out faster. Plus, library books are dirty (they are, after all, handled by a lot of different people). So when you handle a large volume of library books, you can just feel it on your hands. I wash my hands more when I work in the public library. It was through working in the public library that I discovered how you can literally feel when your hands are dirty. Now that I'm back working in a public library after about 6 years, I am reminded of these tidbits :). Thought I would share them. I simply have to moisturize my hands more :). Extra washing also equals extra dryness, along with the dryness that comes with handling the books.

I'm sure there is a lot more I could say about libraries. I just think the public library is awesome. I love that I can rent movies and check out books for free. I love it. In fact, I just returned The Dark Knight, the newest Batman movie. I'd never seen it, it came through the library, so I checked it out :). How awesome is that?

If You Call Me, You Can Call Me [Grace]

So I decided to make this a song title post. And the song is awesome anyway, so you should definitely check it out here. I mean, what's not to love about a cool song with a groovy, catchy beat, and a music video starring Chevy Chase!

So I definitely did not shine in gracefulness today. And I'm betting I'm going to be really sore tomorrow. About 4:30, Alligator Bob asked me if I was ready to ride with him to my house to pick up the roto-tiller. He and Buck are going to work on it at the shop in order to make sure it will run so that Bob can later come and till up the back yard for my garden. I'm telling you, I work with awesome people. Anyway, the roto-tiller is in fabulous shape. The only problem is that there is gas that has been sitting in it for about 2 years, and apparently this is a bad thing, because gas goes bad and gets in the carburator (spelling?) and can muck things up. Anyway, so these nice gentlemen are going to clean it out and get it running and then come and till up the yard. Woohoo! So I rode home with Bob to pick up the roto-tiller. Well, as we backed Bob's big silver truck into the driveway, I decided it would probably be wise to let my grandmother and/or Phyllis, who sits with her in the afternoons, know what was going on so they didn't wonder.

Related side-story... Several months before my grandfather passed, when his health had gotten really bad and it was hard for him to go up and down stairs, people from church came and built a ramp out front of the house so he wouldn't have to climb the steps to the front door. The ramp is very nice, and it was so kind and wonderful of them to do this. Well when it first iced over, a slick sheen of ice came on it, and my mom slipped on it one icy morning. And so Yvonne, who we work with, got roofing shingle stuff from her husband, who is in the contracting/construction business or something, and -- well no, actually, she had her husband come and lay that stuff down on the ramp and tack it down so that it wouldn't be as slippery. Again, very kind. (There are really nice people in this world who do kind things out of the goodness of their hearts, and I am blessed to know many such people. I simply can't help noticing that as I tell this story...). Anyway, so we have this ramp out front and the sandpaper-y shingles tacked down on it, like a conveyor belt looking situation. Just so you have a visual :). Some days I traispse across the grass and just hike myself up onto the ramp rather than go all the way around to the beginning and walking up the whole thing to the door.

Back to today...

So, I get out of Bob's truck and run across the lawn to jump onto the ramp to open the door and tell my grandmother and Phyllis what's going on. Three lessons ensue:
1. Don't run toward the ramp. Added speed creates worse results. It's simple physics.
2. Lift your leg higher when you jump onto the higher end of the ramp.
3. I'm 29, not 12, and I'm not as spry as I once was.

So, my foot doesn't clear the ramp, but instead crashes into the side. And the next thing I am really aware of is that I'm down for the count on the ramp, and my left shoe is somewhere in the grass behind me. I'm sure this was hysterical from an outside perspective. Me skipping through the grass one second, and sprawled out on the tarmac the next ;). (I know it's not tarmac, but it sounded good ;)). Anyway, I get up, dust myself off, acknowledge my stinging left palm, right knee, and left thigh right above the knee, retrieve my shoe, and do what I was going to do in the first place: tell my grandma and Phyllis that we are getting the roto-tiller to be worked on. And then I go down to the carport to help Bob - who didnt even see my graceful fiasco, because he was focusing on backing his truck down the driveway - retrieve the roto-tiller.

My palm is badly bruised -- not to mention a little sandpaper rough from being scraped. And my legs aren't far behind. So yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm going to feel it in the morning... I'm already feeling the stiffness in my wrists. Our bodies (not to mention our reflexes and instincts, because shoot, I'd have face-planted if my mind didn't subconsciously cause my hands to go out first to brace and protect) are amazing things. They take so much abuse. Like a 29 year old trying to act like a 12 year old, running all willy nilly, and jumping up onto ramps in nice work clothes. Intelligent, no? Hahahaha... Had to share the story. And you can call me Grace ;).

I'm going to the dentist tomorrow for the first time in a year and a half. I'm so excited. Well, except that I just finished chipping a tooth while flossing. And that's not a good sign at all... Heavy sigh.

If You Knew What I Know...

You would understand... I'm a zonian!

Okay, so I totally wish that the Zonian song could be found on youtube. Alas, I did not find it. It's an awesome song by Shorty & Slim. And the reason it is applicable to this post is because of the line about platanitos, Chorrera Autopisto, Diablitos :)! (I'm singing as I write it ;)). But you can enjoy this song by them instead. Also an awesome song.

So my dad went to Panama. And I asked him to bring me back platanitos (fried plantain slices, for those who don't know -- like potato chips, but better). As many platanitos as $30 would buy and he could fit in his luggage. Well, I was figuring I'd get a bag or 2. Maybe 3. Instead he brought back 8 of the bags that I specifically told him about (the ones I discovered are really really yummy when I was there) and 4 smaller bags that are not the same brand, but are actually very yummy too. I now have a platanito stash! Thank you Dad for doing such wonderful things for me! I love you!

P.S. It's also National Library Week, and today was National Library Workers' Day. Libraries rock! So don't forget to love your librarian :).

Look Alike

So over the course of my nearly 30 (gasp) years, I have been told I look like a few different actresses. I personally don't see the resemblance, though I will say I wouldn't mind it if it were true. I'm certainly not getting paid for my looks, and these ladies seem to be ;)!

The first one I remember was from when I was in 10th grade or 11th grade in Panama. We were riding to school after seminary one morning, and Al McRae commented to me that he saw a preview for Romeo and Juliet, which was coming out then starring Claire Danes, and that he thought I look a lot like Claire Danes. I was quite flattered really, because I think she's pretty.

A few years later, while working at the public library in Dothan, one of the usual patrons who usually hung out in the Reference Department and had a long ponytail (it was a guy) told me I look like Ally Sheedy. I'm hoping he didn't mean Ally Sheedy a la Breafast Club, because she did look a little nutzo in that movie (which fit her character, of course ;)), but on a regular day, she's pretty, so I didn't mind.

Most recently, Bob (not Alligator Bob but the other Bob) at my funeral home asked me if I ever watch Ugly Betty. Well, I don't. But anyway, according to him, I look like America Ferrarra, not I should stress, in Ugly Betty garb. He said I look like her when she's normal. Hahaha. Again, a nice thing to say, because she is pretty. And I like her hair.

And I'll tell you what... When you are unhappy with the state of your own hair, you tend to notice every woman's hair that you see.

Anyway, so those are some of the actresses people say I look like. There might be one more, but I can't remember it. What do you guys thing? Any resemblances? And what about you? Have you ever been told you look like someone famous? And if yes, who?

Hippetty Hoppetty

I have decided to start putting my pictures at the top of my posts so that I don't have to try to drag them down with the touch-pad laptop mouse :). As you can see, there are several pictures of the kids. Easter was nice here in Washington. The day was semi-decent as far as weather is concerned. It was also quite full as far as the rest of it is concerned :).

I started out the morning at 4:30 a.m. Which those of you who know me will know that isn't a good sign ;). I'm not keen on early mornings. I actually did not intend to get up that early -- especially having only gone to bed a mere 4 hours before. My alarm was actually set for 5:40, because the funeral home was having their annual Easter Sunrise service. Though it is not mandatory to attend, I knew there wouldn't be a lot of people there, plus my mom was going, so I wanted to be there to help her. So that's why I was planning to get up early in the first place. So my alarm was set, but my body subconsciously was worried about oversleeping, so I ended up wide awake at 4:30 and unable to go to sleep despite 30 minutes of trying. So I finally turned on the light and did some reading for my other 30 minutes or so. Then I started to get ready. My mom and I got to the funeral home at about 6. Mostly we were there to set up the breakfast stuff for after the service. In the end, only 5 of us there were employees, so I'm glad I went to help out. We had a decent turn out, and everyone is so appreciative that we do it, so that is good.

My original plan had been to come home, get into my warm pajamas, and watch Conference in bed on my laptop. Alas, better options turned up when my friend Wendy invited me and Wendy to go to her house and watch Conference. So we did. Wendy made home-made cinnamon rolls for breakfast, then we had chips, dip, and guacamole with mocktails (pina colada and abstinence on the beach, courtesy of Heidi) about mid-day. And then after the second Conference session, we had enchiladas. Plus we enjoyed lovely conversation and time spent with friends. It was a nice relaxing Sunday. Then it was time to head home so I could help my mom hide the plastic eggs my mom and grandma had filled for the kiddos. We did that in a hurry, because Brad, Tarylyn, and the kids had gotten here about 5 minutes after I did. So we put a movie on to entertain them while we hid eggs. We were trying to wait on Christina, Desiree, and Emily, but they were running late, so Saria, Samuel, and Benjamin found their eggs so they could head home and eat dinner. Christina came over later with the girls and they found their eggs and ate dinner with us. My mom made a ham using a glaze my Aunt Hila told her about, and i have to say -- it was a delicious ham! Moist and very flavorful.

As always, the kids are adorable. I love them all so much. I am constantly amazed by how they grow and learn so quickly. The last picture of me laughing with Emily is because I was playing a game where I woud start with my hand in the air and make a noise with my mouth as I brought my hand closer and then I'd tickler her tummy. She would laugh hysterically. And then, after I stopped doing it, she'd actually do it herself! She is good at copying. And what a lesson that is. They catch on quick, and they will do what they see you do.

In addition to all that fun, I also enjoyed a nice conversation with my friend Tammy in Alabama. So all around, Easter was a wonderful day :). Oh, and this is a song title post. Listen here.

Say What?

Is it just me, or does this sound like the most disgusting fast food idea ever? Whose brain-child was this?

Double Down "Sandwich"

Here's how I imagine a dialogue going concerning the purchase of one of these treats.

Person A: "Wow, I'm so hungry, I could really go for something fattening and greasy that will leave my hands with a sheen of grease that I can lick off for that extra-filling yumminess."

Person B: "Dude! You need to go for the Double Down! It doesn't even have bread to soak up the grease!"

Don't believe me? Here's the description from msn.com:

"The chicken chain is ready to roll out its Double Down sandwich, which consists of bacon, cheese & sauce sandwiched between two chicken breast fillets."

If today was April 1st, I'd think this was a prank. However, it's April 5, so I do believe this is true. Scary. But true. Hahaha.

More to come on matters of somewhat more importance (depending on who you are :)). I do, after all, have Easter and platanitos to blog. Not to mention my ever-growing tomatoes :). Plus a few other blogs that have been floating around in my head for a few weeks.