Day 15 -- March 28, 2007

WEDNESDAY -- I was 10 minutes early today and I was at a loss on what I can do with that bit of time. These days, every minute counts. In fact, each morning, every second counts so that if I spent five more brushstrokes on my hair and slathered another dab of lotion on my arms, I am sure to miss my train. I even shorten my lunch break so I can make up for my early departure on days I am working at the Children's Room. Every night, when I get home, I spend the needed time to eat a light dinner, prepare my clothes for the next day, do laundry, ironing or whatever chores that needs doing. Then I prepare for bed and when in bed, I have to read a few chapters of the new book I am reading or watch a riveting episode or two of the current Korean drama I am watching...then off to bed around 1-2am. Such is my life these days. Time is a luxury I cannot seem to affford.

Anyway, since I got there early, I walked the stacks looking for the book Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata. Instead of checking it out, I returned it to the stacks because I have yet to settle my fines at the library (shame shame shame) . I know, it's shameful that I work in the library and I can't seem to find the time to go to the bank, get money and walk over to the circ desk to pay my fines. Yes, I owe beaucoup bucks that's why! I hardly carry more that $10 in cash so I really do need to remember getting money from the bank before going to work. That's where I should have used my extra 10 minutes today...Haha!

Theresa sat down with me and talked a bit about the projects she wanted me to do (the blog and the pathfinder). She gave me some instructions and we talked a bit about the HeadStart event tomorrow...Thursday Night Madness...just kidding. It's family night tomorrow and we are again hosting pre-schoolers and their parents...Pizza Night! I found out that the pre-schooler's event is a part of ELF (Early Learning with Families), which is one of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant programs of the California State Library. Once again, all hands on deck tomorrow so I'm sure we'll be busy and that it will be exciting!

I sat in with Theresa with her Snacktime Readers. It was a group that met every month and talked about the book they read. This month, they read "Under the Blood Red Sun" by Graham Salisbury. I tried to read the book early on in my internship but because I read it little by little during my shift, I was not able to finish it and then the last copy at the desk disappeared last week. In any case, I bravely sat in to observe. Before the book discussion began, I was introduced to the children and it felt good that Theresa said "although she's studying to be a librarian, she knows how already"...well something like that. I'm just glad that she thinks I am capable. They were doing mad-libs when I entered the room and I joined in only to be asked to provide an adverb...well holy cannoli, of all things required of me, it had to be the one thing I always forget...adverbs... I blanked out...I should have tried to claim it's the language barrier...hahaha!

There were only four kids in the group and they were very smart, confident kids ranging from 9-13 years old. The kids were snacking while the discussion was going on. "Under the Blood Red Sun" was about Pearl Harbor and the diverse ethnic groups in Hawaii at the time. Much as I would have liked to contribute to the discussion, I was not able to say much because I did not get past Chapter 3 so I just listened and munched on Goldfish crackers. After listening the children talk about their favorite and not so favorite parts of the book, their discussion makes me want to finish it more.

I went home tonight thinking of one of the kids in the reading group. She's 11 and already she knows that she wants to be a librarian when she grows up. I was pleasantly surprised because when I was that young and when asked what I wanted to be, I always said I wanted to be a nun but as I grew older and older still I skedaddled away from that path and it took a while for me to find this long and winding road to librarianship. A priest friend I met with last year said I might yet get my "calling." Well then, we'll just have to wait and see if I will become a Dora the Librarian Explorer or Dora the Librarian Superior.