April is National Poetry Month!

For those of you who were not aware, April is National Poetry Month!

Celebrate!  You can go here to get some ideas.

This drawing was done by Drew.  His website lives here.  I used to visit it daily.

Time Out

Alright, my readers.  I don’t know how many of you there are, but I cherish you all.  And so whoever you are, I’m going to take a time out and give you an update on what’s going on with me and a forecast for what to expect from me over the next couple of weeks.

A week from tomorrow, I will have officially completed my graduate course work and have my Masters degree.  I’ll be an official Library Scientist.  Yay me!

I’m finally going to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on Tuesday.  Definitely expect a post on that by Wednesday.  There may be something before then containing other thoughts I’ve had re: the series.  I’m sorry if you’re bored with reading my opinions of the Rowling’s work, but I still have stuff to say and this is my outlet for it.  You can skip those posts if you want.  But I’d much rather you discuss them with me if you have any interest at all.  I like to talk about books with people, not merely at their screens.

Expect lots of reviews this winter!  I plan on spending my non-working hours immersed in fiction next to the fire place, emerging only to job search.  I will happily take recommendations.  But please write them down somewhere for me to read it; it’s likely I’ll forget the titles if you don’t.  A good place to write them down would be this blog.  Or if I know you personally, Facebook.

There’s a round of picture book reviews coming up, too, starting tomorrow.  One of them might be a new favorite book of mine.

I also think it’s time this site had a minor (or major) revamp.  Maybe it’s just because I got my hair cut recently, but I think a change might be in order.  Also, check out the “About Me” page that I finally put together almost a year after starting the page.  It’s the very first link under my charming Gravatar.

I think that’s all for now.  Happy December time when winter is still fun and not dark and depressing like February!

Harry Potter and the Librarian’s Project

So unless you live under a rock completely sheltered from media (and since you’re reading this online, I highly doubt that), you probably know that the first installment of the final Harry Potter movies comes out next weekend.

I started reading the Harry Potter series around the time the third one was published.  And I always read the later ones about a year after they came out, and the hype died down.  It’s been a long time since I’ve read them, so here’s what I remember about them.  I really liked books 1-4.  Those are ones I’ve read and re-read.  Books 5 and 6 to me were like Degrassi plus magic.  I only read them each once.  I read book 7 and I remember almost nothing about it.  I do remember despising the epilogue.

As for the movies, I’ve watched 1-3 multiple times.  (1 and 2 are my favorites because of Richard Harris.  He was the perfect Dumbledore.  It’s a shame he up and died.  Michael Gambon hasn’t even read the books… and I find that it does his acting a great disservice, not even learning his character.  *steps down off of soap box*)  I think I’ve seen the other 3, but I don’t remember at all how it all panned out.  I honestly had planned on waiting until The Deathly Hallows came out on HBO to watch it, but the local IMAX theater (part of an educational center) graciously gave our library staff a few tickets to see it.  So I’ll be going.  And I’ve decided to give the series a chance again.  But this time, instead of reading the books, I’m having them read to me.

I don’t usually listen to audio books.  I can’t pay attention to them if I don’t already know the story.  But since I already know the story, I decided to give them a try.  It’s been about two weeks, and I’m about 12 chapters into The Goblet of Fire.  I doubt I’ll get them all done before the premier, but I’ll try to get them all done by the time I see it.  Shouldn’t be a problem.  The books are read by Jim Dale, whose performance is more than admirable.  It only increases my desire to read audio books some day.

Interestingly enough, I hadn’t planned to re-watch the movies as part of this project.  However, due to unforeseen situations, I am accompanying someone else who is attempting to watch all the movies in time for the premier.  It’s an interesting juxtaposition with the audio books, to notice what was left out, what was added, and what other inconsistencies there are.  Right now I’m watching The Prisoner of Azkaban.  Lupin FTW!

So as I finish the last of the books I know I like, it will be interesting to see if I can make it through the last three without losing my respect for Rowling again.  I will keep you posted.

Images found with the help of Google.

Ten Things Your Barista Would Love For You To Know

I’m taking a hint from this article I read about hairstylists.  We baristas feel your pain.

I’m going to divert a bit from my regular posts tonight and focus more on the “ista” part of my life as opposed to the “librarian” side.  This post is going to be mostly about coffee shop and drive-thru etiquette.  These are things we would never say to your face, but it would be really, really awesome if customers could take a hint and help us out with a few things.

This is going to be a rant post.  But all of my rantings stem from actual interactions I have had while working as a barista in a Starbucks drive-thru store.

Ten Things Your Barista Would Love for You to Know (but is too polite to say anything!):

• Hang up your cell phone! This is a big one. Whether you’re coming into the store or going through the drive thru, it is absolutely one of the rudest things to do to be on your cell phone when you place your order.  We are here to wait on you, not for you.  If you pull/walk up on your cell phone and we do our jobs by asking you what we can make for, and you ask us to wait while you’re having a conversation with someone else, that is entirely unacceptable.  You came up to us – if you’re not ready to give us your full attention like we intend to do for you, then please step aside.
• Look at us.  We won’t turn you to stone if you look at us in the eye, I promise.  We are not coffee dispensers.  We are people.  When you’re handing us your money or credit card or when we’re handing you a drink, don’t just stare off into space.  Acknowledge us.  You would be upset if we didn’t acknowledge you.  We are not any different.
• Listen to what we have to say. If I ask you how you’re doing today and you respond with “I want…” or “Give me…” that speaks volumes.  While we might not have the most important things to say all the time, we are trying to brighten your day and make your experience with us as pleasurable as possible.  It would be nice if you’d do the same for us.  Also, when did “please” leave the contemporary English conversational vocabulary?
• We are not idiots because we work at a coffee shop or in a drive-thru. We are college and graduate students.  We have degrees in all areas of study.  We have families to support, mortgages and bills to pay.  We work multiple jobs.  The job might not entail mentally taxing work, but it is hard to be on your feet for 8+ hours and still be smiling at the end of it.  Do not treat us like we are beneath you.  You don’t know us or our stories.
• Don’t get grumpy. We are doing the best that we can.  If there are drinks ahead of yours, you have to wait.  If you have a complex drink, it’s going to take longer than someone who gets an iced chai.  We know what we are doing, and we’re not ignoring you.  If you want something instantaneously, go to a gas station.  We handcraft every beverage, and quality takes a certain amount of time.
• Don’t complain about prices. There’s nothing we can do about it.  Prices are set by the company, not us.  If you don’t want to pay what they’re asking, then don’t come.  I’m not going to give you a discount, free extra shots, extra flavors, etc. no matter how kindly you ask.  Especially if you ask.  Or worse, merely tell us that you want extras for free.  Occasionally we do like to “surprise and delight” you with extras on the house.  But don’t come expecting them.  That is pretentious and rude.
• Take care of your children. This to me seems like a no-brainer.  I guess not.  If your kids (or you, for that matter) order something and we make it for them, and it’s not what they wanted, it’s not our fault.  We can’t read minds.  We will be more than willing to remedy the situation, but we will be grumpy about it if you are.  We will take it much more lightly if you don’t blame us, apologize, and especially tip!  Also, clean up after your kids.  A table covered in crumbs and spilled drinks is disrespectful to us and to our stuff.  Would you let your kids get away with those kinds of messes at home?  And don’t stand them up on the counters.  People put their food and drink there.  That’s just unsanitary.
• Notice the store’s hours.   If you’re getting ready to leave for work in 5 minutes and your boss dumps a project in your lap that s/he needs within the next half hour, you would be very upset.  Please, don’t come to the store two minutes before closing time (or five minutes afterward) and expect us to be happy about it.  Especially if you’re ordering Frappuccinos or smoothies.  Those are our least favorite drinks to make because of how time-consuming they are to make.  No one needs 600 calories that badly that it can’t wait until the next day.
• Tip your baristas. Not on principle.  If you had a bad experience because of us, you shouldn’t tip.  But if your baristas are nice, quick, and your drink tastes the way it should, tip them.  They do hard work for little pay.  It’s nice to be acknowledged every once in awhile.
• Don’t hover. You like your drink the way you like it.  We understand.  Baristas have some of the pickiest drinks known to man.  But if you’ve told us what you wanted, we will make it.  Hovering makes new kids nervous (and they have enough stress!).  Hovering makes veterans feel disrespected because they know how to do their jobs, and they don’t need you to tell them how to do it.  Also, don’t ask us to put ourselves in harm’s way for your drink.  For goodness’ sake, it’s just coffee.  I once had a customer ask me to steam her drink to 210 degrees.  That is dangerous.  Steaming milk past 200 degrees not only causes it to curdle, but it could explode in our faces and all over our hands causing serious burns.  It’s just not worth it.

There’s a lot more.  But I think I’ve dried your eyes out enough.  But I hope you’ve learned something in the process.  One fellow I work with has told me that  he believes everyone should have to work a low-paying customer service job for at least one year so that they learn what it’s like on the other side of consumerism.  I highly support that.  This job in particular has forever changed the way I not only go through drive-thrus, but treat all people.

Image taken from BloggingStocks.com

The Librarianista Project Begins

Currently drinking: Water.  If I had coffee at this hour, I wouldn’t be able to sleep.
Currently reviewing: Myself.

I can’t recall the last time I blogged.

This project is born out of several graduate class assignments and purposes, and my own desire to do work I enjoy for which I will not be graded.  And also my interest in literature.  And coffee.

One of the hopes I have for this blog is to be my reviews and musings books I have read and am currently reading, and also feed my current dependency on Starbucks coffee, which is probably shared by most of the people on WordPress.  And to think, I didn’t drink coffee before I started working there in June…  Another hope I have for this blog is for my other current employer, a local library system, will post my reviews on their website and encourage other staff and patrons to do the same.

I like books, I like coffee, and I generally like what I have to say.  Most of the books I enjoy reading are children’s and YA (young adult) fiction, but you may find me reading some other books and sharing them with you.  I am always open to suggestions – if you’ve found a book that you love, please share it with me!  Unless it’s Twilight.  That’s one that will probably never show up on this blog.