Home is where the homies are

The title is a misunderstanding of something a 2-year-old said to me this weekend, but I like it, so I'm using it.

So much has happened the past few days, and of course it only happens when I'm away from my computer for days on end. Oh well, it gives me time to ponder what is actually worth saying and what only seemed important at the time. Let's start with the staff meeting at work last Thursday. We periodically have little staff meetings in the library so the director feels like she's keeping us informed without ever actually telling us anything worthwhile. This meeting was about the mandate to merge the college library with the hospital library. This has been in the works for years and although we all know it's ridiculous, the hospital administration (who also oversees the college) can't seem to understand we don't do the same things. So after we discussed what's happening in that arena, which is to say, she told us we're merging but doesn't know when or how, she then decides we need to work on a strategic plan and vision and mission statements. Well, one of the librarians, who is already fed up with this woman, went off! She's starts talking about how we can't make strategic plans when we don't know what anything is going to look like after the merger, blah, blah, blah. I mean, they were all good points, but the more she talked, the angrier she got, and the louder she got. If it we're a physical battle it would've been a bloodbath, as it was, the director just stared straight ahead like she couldn't believe what just happened. Everyone else was kinda in shock as well, but I was just sitting there thinking, "what the hell am I doing here?" It is so time for me to get out of that place. I just don't care what happens anymore. I stay for my students, not out of any loyalty or desire to do the job. For the nerdy little bookworm I am, I really don't enjoy working in the library!

Fortunately, I got to leave early Thursday for a conference, so I didn't have to deal with the aftermath of that meeting. The conference went well, which is good since I was on the committee that planned it. After that, I headed to Cleveland to visit my best friend and her family. On the way, I got a speeding ticket for doing 78 in a 60! I can't even get angry about it since I usually drive 85 the whole way, and for as many times as I've made that 3 hour drive between Dayton and Cleveland, this is the first time I've been caught, so I say I earned all $143 of that ticket!

The visit went well, although I was a bit tired and cranky. It's so weird to me that I have friends with children. I still don't feel like I'm old enough to be left on my own, much less entrusted with another life, but it's really cool to watch this little girl grow up. And she likes me, which makes it that much cooler! :) I only hope my child will be as beautiful and intelligent, because I know the comparisons will be there when the time comes! The best part of the visit, besides seeing my best friend and having a child climb all over me for 2 days straight, was the birthday presents! My friend and I have this tradition that as long as a birthday gift is given in the correct year, then the timing doesn't really matter. It's worked for us, and I rather like it, because long after I've forgotten about my birthday, I get presents! Yep, it's all about me! Anyway, I got a stuffed white tiger from the baby. I've been sleeping with it, which is weird since I don't think I ever slept with a stuffed animal. I also got Saved on DVD. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it! And, I got a Mountain Goats CD. I've never listened to the Mountain Goats before this weekend, and I have to say, I'm liking the music. So, all in all, a very good visit, despite the screaming child in the planetarium!

Yeah, so this isn't the most exciting post ever, but these are the things that are important to me. My job, which I seriously need to reconsider, my friends, and now I'm back home where my kids are. So they're all adults and have parents of their own, but to me they've become family. They are my homies, and home is where the homies are.