Cathy the Librarian

We are all so busy all the time. Life just seems so crazy and we get caught up in so many busy little things, that we never have time for all those things we really want to do or all the really important things that we should do. Take the time to get in touch people that you’ve lost contact with and been thinking of.
Okay, so I know that I’m rambling, but this all comes from finding out that my choir director passed away. Well, really she was my ex-choir director. She became a lay pastor and joined another church. Then quite suddenly, she found out that she had cancer. The last time I had seen her, she didn’t seem sick at all, so while I knew that she was sick, I had no idea how sick she was. I had been meaning for a while to visit her, or write her a letter, something… anything. But, then I found out that thinking and maybes are worth nothing if you don’t actually do anything about it. All my good intentions were for naught, because she passed away anyway.
I don’t really know what to say, but I guess I should say something about her. She wasn’t nearly that old. But I guess most people are ever old enough to die. She had young grandchildren who should have gotten to know her better, but they never will get to know her as well as they should have. She had so many ideas and such creativity. She was caring and wonderful. She had a story (sometimes a little too long, but no one’s perfect) to tell about everything and for every situation. She loved music and loved sharing it with everyone. I am so grateful that I have gotten to know her, but I don’t think I ever had enough time. Do we ever have enough time? Its at times like these that I think how petty everything is sometimes. We get caught up in the lives of Hollywood stars and need to have every new purse and shoe that comes out. Then something like this happens and BAM everything seems to wrong.

Here’s to you Jane. I love you.

Bender, Jane Breitkruz October 1, 2005. She is survived by her husband, Richard A. Bender; daughter, Catherine (Gregory) Zalewski; sister, Martha (Al) Durrell; grandchildren, Alexander, Lukas Zalewski. Friends may call Wednesday 2-3 PM at the Union Presbyterian Church, 1 Browns Ave., Scottsville, 14546. A Funeral Service will be immediately following at 3 pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to Grace Urban Ministries, 860 Dewey Ave., Rochester 14613. Anthony Funeral & Cremation Chapels 2305 Monroe Ave., 244-0770

Erie Canal Pathfinder

Okay, so I am. But, one of the most important things in the whole world for me, besides a loving husband and happy baby are friends. I like to have people to talk to, to hang out with and drink coffee or to do all those stupid things that are silly when you do them alone, but fun if you do with with a couple of other girls. It gets worse because all around me (maybe because I’m looking for it) I see people who have a really tight group of friends, and I get to watch from the sidelines.

I think that a little of this stems from seeing how my parents don’t have many friends and they really only spend time with eachother. I think that if something should happen to one of them (if one of them should die) and not the other, it will be ALOT more devistating than if they had a close group of friends. I love Jeff with all my heart, but I would like to have the option of someone else’s shoulder to cry on. Please don’t get the wrong idea, I do have friends, I’m not a total outcast. But it always feels like there’s a distance between us. They don’t see the world the way I do. Those people that I think I do see a connection with… we aren’t all that close and I don’t want to force myself upon them. Then I’d be a total tool. Life can be so very complicated, but its so simple. AIGH!

…On an interesting and sad side note, I know that we decided that we were giving Buster up, but it was still strange to see that he was available on the website. It made the whole thing seem more real and depressing. I think its better for everyone involved that Buster is going to a new home, but I still feel weird and horrible.

We are all so busy all the time. Life just seems so crazy and we get caught up in so many busy little things, that we never have time for all those things we really want to do or all the really important things that we should do. Take the time to get in touch people that you’ve lost contact with and been thinking of.
Okay, so I know that I’m rambling, but this all comes from finding out that my choir director passed away. Well, really she was my ex-choir director. She became a lay pastor and joined another church. Then quite suddenly, she found out that she had cancer. The last time I had seen her, she didn’t seem sick at all, so while I knew that she was sick, I had no idea how sick she was. I had been meaning for a while to visit her, or write her a letter, something… anything. But, then I found out that thinking and maybes are worth nothing if you don’t actually do anything about it. All my good intentions were for naught, because she passed away anyway.
I don’t really know what to say, but I guess I should say something about her. She wasn’t nearly that old. But I guess most people are ever old enough to die. She had young grandchildren who should have gotten to know her better, but they never will get to know her as well as they should have. She had so many ideas and such creativity. She was caring and wonderful. She had a story (sometimes a little too long, but no one’s perfect) to tell about everything and for every situation. She loved music and loved sharing it with everyone. I am so grateful that I have gotten to know her, but I don’t think I ever had enough time. Do we ever have enough time? Its at times like these that I think how petty everything is sometimes. We get caught up in the lives of Hollywood stars and need to have every new purse and shoe that comes out. Then something like this happens and BAM everything seems to wrong.

Here’s to you Jane. I love you.

Bender, Jane Breitkruz October 1, 2005. She is survived by her husband, Richard A. Bender; daughter, Catherine (Gregory) Zalewski; sister, Martha (Al) Durrell; grandchildren, Alexander, Lukas Zalewski. Friends may call Wednesday 2-3 PM at the Union Presbyterian Church, 1 Browns Ave., Scottsville, 14546. A Funeral Service will be immediately following at 3 pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to Grace Urban Ministries, 860 Dewey Ave., Rochester 14613. Anthony Funeral & Cremation Chapels 2305 Monroe Ave., 244-0770

Quiz

As an aside to all this sad book banning stuff, I was reading someone else’s (who happened to also be a librarian) blog and she had taken a style quiz. I, of course, HAD to take it. I’m “classy”. Looking at my house, I don’t really see that. In fact, if anything I would say I’m more crowded, messy modern. I like funky colors and straight minimialist lines. I really hate all that fru-fru flowery patterns, all the busy lines… The site tells me that I’m drawn to timeless lines, and neutral colors with rich accents. Umm take one look at my house and no, that’s not me. All primary colors: bright and cheerful and crazy. Nothing trendy or faddish? Well, I guess that’s true. I’m more about comfort.
I had to go grocery shopping last night, so I didn’t have time to write about a banned book. Therefor, I’m going to write about two tonight! Stay tuned.

As an aside to all this sad book banning stuff, I was reading someone else’s (who happened to also be a librarian) blog and she had taken a style quiz. I, of course, HAD to take it. I’m “classy”. Looking at my house, I don’t really see that. In fact, if anything I would say I’m more crowded, messy modern. I like funky colors and straight minimialist lines. I really hate all that fru-fru flowery patterns, all the busy lines… The site tells me that I’m drawn to timeless lines, and neutral colors with rich accents. Umm take one look at my house and no, that’s not me. All primary colors: bright and cheerful and crazy. Nothing trendy or faddish? Well, I guess that’s true. I’m more about comfort.
I had to go grocery shopping last night, so I didn’t have time to write about a banned book. Therefor, I’m going to write about two tonight! Stay tuned.

I read Roald Dahl books when I was younger, but I didn’t realize how much I loved this man until I became an adult. I loved the BFG, and of course Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach. Upon looking at the list of the most often challenged/banned books in America from 1990-2000, I saw that #27 was The Witches. Okay, so the book is called “Witches”, but the witches themselves aren’t even really human. At the very beinning of the book, Dahl differentiates them from people by saying that they don’t have toes. Dahl also makes witches bad creatures that need to be disposed of. You really don’t feel any sympathy for the witches, in fact you really hope that the main characters do defeat the witches. Of course, if you don’t like the idea of magic, good or bad, you still won’t be pleased with this book. Since this is my personal blog, I will say that I don’t think that there’s anything so horrible as using your imagination in order to allow you to be a more creative individual. Well at least in my humble opinion.

I read Roald Dahl books when I was younger, but I didn’t realize how much I loved this man until I became an adult. I loved the BFG, and of course Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach. Upon looking at the list of the most often challenged/banned books in America from 1990-2000, I saw that #27 was The Witches. Okay, so the book is called “Witches”, but the witches themselves aren’t even really human. At the very beinning of the book, Dahl differentiates them from people by saying that they don’t have toes. Dahl also makes witches bad creatures that need to be disposed of. You really don’t feel any sympathy for the witches, in fact you really hope that the main characters do defeat the witches. Of course, if you don’t like the idea of magic, good or bad, you still won’t be pleased with this book. Since this is my personal blog, I will say that I don’t think that there’s anything so horrible as using your imagination in order to allow you to be a more creative individual. Well at least in my humble opinion.

I’m going to try and get another grant… or two. I can’t remember if I posted earlier about this, but I was involved in a homeschooling grant with Cathy Henderson, the librarian from Greece, Jennifer Lindsey, the librarian from Chili and Adrienne Furness, the librarian (or uber as I like to call her) from Webster. So we officially got this grant for $35,000. Woe. Anyway, each of us was supposed to specialize in a different area. Hilton was going to specialize in the Arts. Then I found out about the grants available through the Arts and Cultural Council for Greater Rochester. There’s two of them: one for specific programs and one for advancing a cultural institution. Both sound great, but I’d have to have them in their office by November 10 at 5 PM. This does not give me much time to get everything set down on paper and completed. EEK! Needless to say, I would have to get started on this, whatever I’m going to do, almost immediately. I would like to do some Art History or Art classes for people that would relate to the homeschooling program. I would also like to get money for classes for one of the staff members to learn html, so that our website can be better developed. I just need to start writing everything on paper and sorting it out in my head so it makes sense.
Okay. Time to go to sleep. I can worry about this tomorrow.

Finally, all that drool has paid off. I spoke to my mom before Jeff and Jack got home, and she had to immediately tell me… JACK GOT HIS FIRST TOOTH! Unfortunately, its mostly still right below the skin. He keeps getting bigger and bigger. I can’t believe he’ll already be 6 months on Friday. Has it been that long already? It amazes me. Anywho. Time to put him to bed soon.

In all honesty, I can’t remember much about the book. I read it when I was in college at Geneseo, when I was an English Lit major and reading a lot of books at the same time. I do remember that I loved it, especially at the end when I distinctly remember crying quite a bit. I felt that the book was excellent, and fully intend on rereading it as soon as I can.

According to the American Library Association’s website:

85 Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Reason for challenges: racism, sexually explicit, offensive language

It seems weird that a black author could charged offensive by writing “racist” language. I mean, sure I know its possible for a black person to be racist, just like its possible for a white person to be racist. However, considering that almost all the characters in the book are black, it seems strange that Morrison would be considered racist against black people, which is where I assume they are trying to go with it. I’m also getting really bored with the “sexually explicit” claim. People have sex. Sex is life. That’s all there is to it. Granted, the main character, Milkman is in a relationship with his cousin, but that doesn’t stop it from being real life. Also the “offensive” bit. I’m going to assume that the “n” word is probably used quite a bit, since the book is not supposed to take place in the present. But even if it did, young black people still say the word, you can hear it in the music etc.

I am of the opinion that people need a reason to complain. They can’t handle it when a book that takes them out of their own comfort levels is really, really good. So they complain and try to wipe the existence of the book off the face of the planet. All I have to say is, shame on you. Shame shame shame.

I will remember to read this book again, because at the time of reading it in college, it was really good. Take that book burners!