I have a job now, and I am told almost every day that I am fortunate to have one. ANY job.
At least once a day, I get a phone call asking why the place I work at hasn’t called them for a job. This place is a government entity, with very strict security, and that’s all I’ll say about that for now. Why haven’t I called them for a job? It doesn’t work that way. You take a test, but passing isn’t enough. That wasn’t conveyed to the test-takers – myself included. I took the test, too. The bottom line is you needed to score 97, 98, 99 or 100%, although other factors are involved.
I received the most desperate calls a month to six weeks ago, after I WAS calling folks to work at the jobs that are available. There was one fellow who reminded me I’d called him a week before, and he was not well enough then to work. Since then, his doctor WOULD NO LONGER SEE HIM. So he was calling to see if the position was still open. But it wasn’t. I told him to check with his local unemployment office, and also to ask them to refer him to some kind of medical insurance. I hope he can afford it, and I wish him well.
A woman called to change her address, then told me she had moved with her children, as they were no longer safe living with her husband, and she had filed a temporary restraining order. She asked if she should wait before looking for a job, in case we called her. I said, NO, she should get to the unemployment office AND look into food stamps and other assistance for herself and her children. When I talked to a mainland friend about this, she asked: “Where can you hide on an island?” I don’t have the answer to that, but I could hear the steely determination in the woman’s voice, and I am hoping it will all work out for her.
I get at least one call a day asking how to resolve problems with the security clearance that people must obtain to work with this organization. It is a process, and I explain it as carefully and completely as I can. I assure them they can call back with questions if they don’t understand, give them an approximate – and probably too hopeful – date they can check back to see whether their status has been updated. They are usually very grateful for the explanation and advice.
If I can’t find work as a librarian soon, I am now considering another career. I am going to be looking into employment counseling, as I already do this. Every day.

Downtown Honolulu doesn't have enough of these!

Have you done this? You're eating in Chinatown and drank too much tea or pho. You need to use the facilities. In this part of town, you usually have to walk through the kitchen. And when you get there, you immediately regret the need. The door and handle are grimy, as is the sink. Let's not even talk about the commode. OK, there were FLOATERS!

Honolulu Magazine talked about this two years ago.

But, it means more, now that I work downtown, and I need to punch a code in the cypherlock - and it changes without prior notice - AND you need a key for the facilities, "going" requires some planning. And this is just on my floor, down the hall from my office!

If you're visiting Fort Street Mall, and Macy's is closed, you're out of luck. The restrooms in Ross have been closed for years. Your next opportunity going Ewa (west) would be the police station on Hotel Street between Smith and Maunakea. I have never enjoyed their restrooms, but I heard the men in blue will allow you in - 24/7! - if you ask nicely. During Chinese New Year festivities, my visiting friends both looked relieved after they rejoined us.

Heading east, your best bet is Hawaii State Library, at South King and Punchbowl Streets. After that, City Hall has facilities. Of course, these last two are available only during the hours they are open - generally Monday through Friday.

If you know of other places to "go", please share!? It would be more than a kindness. Rather, it would be a public service!

The beginning of the year brought lots of renewed interest in Abraham Lincoln, highlighted by the new - 44th - president's own ties to the 16th president.

I found this blog from a circuitous route. I subscribe to an art blog, and the writer sometimes cross-publishes there, too.

The most popular categories are Politics, History and Culture, which happen to be my faves, too. Though not necessarily in that order.

This month, Lincoln and Darwin are featured. I was happy to see that one of the writers interviewed is the author of the book I'm reading currently, Paris to the Moon. The book is about an American's look at the France of the late 1990's, as well as the French view of America. As I am always interested in various POVs, this is compelling to me.

Take a look at Britannica Blog, and tell me what you read that you enjoyed. Talk amongst yourselves, but share, too!

 I’ve been too close to it to write about it, but with some time and space, I’ve given this some thought.

What IS the real work of a librarian?

(Librarians may wish to stop reading, as you already know this. The following is for civilians until I say otherwise.)

Do you think librarians read books every day? That we are the ones who choose, buy and shelve them?

The reality is librarians have little time to actually read the books in their libraries, unless they are children’s librarians, and it happens to be story time. And the books we choose are limited by the mission of our institution – public, private, non-profit, school, public or academic. Or books are requested or recommended by staff or faculty. Choices are limited by the subjects of materials in the library, the ages and interests of our patrons. And most recently, they are affected by the economic downturn.

(Librarians may want to resume reading here, and compare with their own situation. Or not.)

Last night, I spoke to a classmate/friend/librarian who says the public library has NO budget for new books. With more patrons every day, how will they fill the shelves in public libraries? The only funds available for book purchase are from overdue fines and lost book fees. Friends of Libraries are friends, indeed.

Even if we have the money to buy them, some of us work in private institutions and cooperate by agreeing to exchange books and other publications. I never knew this until I worked in such a place. I also didn’t realize staff could point out to the librarian those books they felt did not belong in the library, and which did based solely on their own requirements!

But that is another story, and this is the end of part one.

Where? MyBook or FaceSpace

1. Do not wanna deal with being poked or having to respond to that
2. Not a drama queen – don’t need to make new friends - or reject them. Yes, I’ve heard the horror stories, and this is in FAMILIES!
3. Have no need OR time to decorate my “space”
4. Feel disinclined to share the latest grouchy photo of myself - much less a failure or triumph!
5. Know who my friends are IRL and choose to talk to them over the phone or share a beverage in ACTUAL time and space

Friends of mine, you know my phone numbers and my e-mail addresses. I will answer if you call or write!

[ more.. ]

Do you think I think this is art? 

How about real stuff from the artist's body that he canned? Someone is buying this, too.

This blog post mentions that MOMA owns one of these. Ironically, it's a gift from the Lauder family, whose business is skincare and cosmetics.

Yes, there's a history of folks using bodily fluids and excretions as part of their creative works.

But, do YOU yourself want to see and experience this? And do YOU think it's art?

What does art mean to you?

Is it eye candy? Poker-playing dogs? A pretty bunch of flowers or landscape?

The art I enjoy the most "speaks" to me. It reminds me of something, someone or some place. Whether it's a painting or sculpture, if it "works" for me, it makes me feel something.

Andrew Wyeth died today. He was either a great American painter, or a hack, depending on whose opinion you listened to. His iconic painting, "Christina's World", is the painting he's most remembered for. Like so much of his work, the things he paints are treated solely as objects, even if the subjects happen to be people.

This is interesting to me, as the Wyeth painting which has never left my mind's eye is "Wind from the Sea". I no longer need to look at an image of this; I remember what it looks like. I know that my connection to it is somewhere in my childhood. I remember looking out some window in my grandmother's house, feeling the wind blow the lace curtains against my face.

Schlocky, or super-real, cold - critics' words - when art connects you to a feeling or a memory, it works.

What art works for you?