Topsy-Turvy

Does it seem like I haven't been blogging as regularly?
Am I not home when you call?
 Has it been a while since you've seen me?
It's because it is SUMMER PROGRAMMING and the Nikiverse is topsy-turvey.
Since we do libraries in the summer and they want shows when families can attend, there are way more night and weekend shows.
How many more? you say.
 I just did a schedule where i am on 4 night shows in a row!
  Of course, I am understaffed, so some of these shows I have to do myself (though shout out to Stacey for sending her staff with me whenever she possibly can and to Erin for coming with me next week). This means that my normally hectic and chaotic schedule (if you could call it a schedule) is even MORE all-over-the-place then normal.
This makes for interesting sleeping and eating patterns.
 It also means I have made some interesting discoveries.
Recently I found a public park in Catonsville that i never knew existed. Mind you, i drive by the sign several times EVERY DAY. I knew the Senior Center and the ballfields were there, but apparently there is also a picnic area, a playground and a nature walk. Yesterday I was driving home from the gym when i decided to take a quick nature walk, just to see the condition of the trail. It is pretty nice, with multiple loops; some of it is cleared, some is packed, some is even paved. Nothing is marked, however, and i had a really fun time seeing how many blind turns i could make and still find my way out. I don't live in a particularly urban part of town, but it certainly isn't the country either. It was nice to find some forest to explore less than 2 miles from my house. I saw 2 big birds of prey (Jonah - larger than a peregrine, but slightly smaller than a red-tail; dark brown face and wings with a mottled tail) sitting on a branch together - i couldn't tell if they were about to rip each other's faces off, or if they were in love. There were these incredible damselflies (2 words you don't normally put together) who had bright iridescent green bodies and onyx-y black wings. I didn't have my camera (cause even I am not dedicated enough to take my camera to the gym), but will definitely be going back.
It is a crazy time right now, but it is nice that the craziness is making me look at things from a different perspective and discover treasures that have been right under my nose all along.

I know what I want for Christmas

On Friday night, as part of our summer celebration/fundraising weekend we showed Back to the Future on a huge, inflatable outdoor screen right outside the doors of the museum, on the Inner Harbor. I have GOT to get me one of these things. I could turn my backyard into my own private drive-in. Of course, i'd need the extra strong projector and the sound system, but i figure if every single person i have ever known chipped in together... (somebody get on that ) You may or may not know that Back to the Future is Ron's favoritest movie, ever. So he came down and met me for the screening (and he brought a date who seemed very nice as far as i could tell since she was recovering from strep throat and didn't say much). It was so much fun to sit out in the middle of the city and watch this great movie from my youth. (speaking of youth, was Michael J. Fox about 12 when he did that movie - wow does he look young) It has been several years since i have seen it and i had to laugh at the fact that i still remembered most of the key lines and exactly when they happened. A good time was had by all and now i know what to put on my wish list for Santa.

mmmmmmmm... pie

As i was putting my lunch in the fridge at work today i saw a lovely key lime pie on the top shelf and thought, What a lovely key lime pie; i wonder who it belongs to and where they bought it. A little later, in the Happy TSP Corner, team member Lauren announced "I made a Key Lime Pie last night." Oh yeah, she made it and it belonged to us. Score! Nothing like unexpected pie, i say!

That reminds me of Kate C. and how she like limes, especially in adult beverages -

Happy Birthday, Kate!

Solstice

Happy Longest-Day-of-the-Year-in-the-Northern-Hemisphere, everybody. I love sunshine! On beautiful, clear days like today I can really see how various ancient cultures worshipped the sun. I hope you had a chance to spend some time outside making lots of Vitamin D (while avoiding skin cancer of course) and if you haven't gone outside yet, there is still plenty of sunlight left : GO!

Spontaneous

Sometimes being spontaneous blows up in your face, but sometimes it works to your advantage. Matt (who lives in California and had been roadtripping in parts unknown) called on Saturday asking if i was available 10-6 cause he was in town for the day. Unfortunately, I had to do a library show in the afternoon so i couldn't spend the day with him. But he also needed a ride to the airport that evening for a standby redeye he hadn't technically booked yet. So we planned for me to pick him up after work. It wasn't exactly a high energy adventure, but it was lovely to see him, especially since i had thought i wouldn't see him until August. Despite the tight schedule (north from Baltimore to get him from his parent's house outside Bel Air then south past Baltimore and DC to Arlington, VA) I had him to Regan National in VA an hour early so we went to dinner. As i'm leaving the airport (which i have never driven to before because we normally fly out of BWI) I see signs for I-66 and realized Colleen had to live close. I called and her plans for the evening had been waylaid so i went over to visit. We're watching Codename: Kids Next Door and sipping Cactus Juice (which was disgusting by the way; avoid it) when she suggests calling Matt to make sure he had gotten a seat on the flight and wasn't spending the night in the airport. Turns out he did get a seat, but then volunteered to give it up for a free roundtrip ticket. I went to get him and he hung out with us until 5am when i took him back to the airport. So i thought my Saturday was going to be work, gym and home, but instead i got to spend the night with good friends including one who shouldn't even have been in this time zone. I think we could all use a bit more spontaneity!

Amelia

Yesterday was the first day of summer programming for us. I normally don't talk about the actual locations of shows, but i got to go to my favorite library, Amelia Givens. This place is always ready for us, has GREAT children's librarians and always has a really good audience. Shows there are a delight. Plus, the library itself is beautiful. The last line of the directions on our paperwork was "library is on the right; looks like a castle." Really. You might think it was someone's lovely old home that was repurposed into the library, but no. Amelia Given -apparently a real lady with a lot of money- thought her cozy little PA town needed a library and had this one built. Shaped like a castle. The side turret is the fiction room with hanging lights and comfy chairs for reading and tables with lamps for studying: To the right of this picture is a balcony with an ironwork staircase leading up to it. The whole place is decorated with turned woodwork: Rob has 4 other pictures (reading room, turned wood, amelia's place and midnight) here. It is the kind of library that makes you LOVE books and if you already love them, it feels like a slice of heaven on Earth. It was a good way to start the season.

Happy Flag Day

I am all for patriotism, but WOW! Happy Flag Day!

RIP, Mr Wizard

Goodbye to a 90-year old pioneer of informal education. Though i was personally never a big fan of his TV show, Don Herbert changed the face of science education forever. I might not have a job now if it weren't for him. So thanks, Mr Wizard. Let's all blow something up in his honor. http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/12/obit.mr.wizard.ap/index.html?section=cnn_latest

Roy G Biv Challenge

Some of the amazingly talented women i crop with have a blog called Scrap A Latte. They started it a few weeks ago and i wanted to give them a chance to get some content before i talked about it. They are posting pictures they've taken, projects they've completed and they are giving each other (and ostensibly anyone reading) various challenges. The Roy G Biv challenge is the first one i have had a chance to do, given crazy schedules. We are supposed to take a picture for each color in the rainbow. I was so excited when i read about this challenge this morning i immediately went out to do it. So here are my pics of the rainbow while running errands: red - i had to stop at work to turn in my timesheet and this prayer flag hangs over the desk across from me orange - my favorite wildflower is the tiger lily; though technically these are orange day lillies they are a nice orange and are growing next to the sidewalk on my walk home from the library yellow - the newspaper bag always surprises me with its yellowness in the grass, especially since no one in the house pays for the paper and we aren't sure why it keeps being delivered green - going to turn in my timesheet at the Acting Director of Education's desk and HELLO green CD! blue - i was despairing for a clear, lovely blue when, DUH, i looked up indigo - not a color you see a lot, Lydia's car is the closest dark bluey/purple thing i saw violet - my favorite hue and my favorite skirt, which i am conveniently wearing right now

Congralations, Rickki!

YIPPEE! My cousin and best friend, Rickki, has been trying and trying and trying to open a Scrapbooking Retreat Center in the Amish country of Ohio for a long time. Her bid on a house got accepted this week and the Grand Opening for Memory Lane Lodge is set for July 20th! It is only a month and a half away, but i KNOW she can do it. I am sooooooo proud of her for doggedly pursuing her dream. Please take a moment and wish her luck. Thanks!