10 years ago #4

September 13, 2001, morning
Time for an entry of quotes and musings. The first quote is the very last of Lord Byron for a while. I know that this quote has nothing to do with the horrors the U.S. has suffered, but I have to record it. I thought it a beautiful and interesting quote. “…the symbols of the Invisible are the loveliest of what is visible…” I was going to spend some time dwelling upon this quote, but I think other matters should overrule. This next quote, while I admit is also nothing in connection with that happened, I feel that I need to record it. This quote says it all for me. “Describe Him as you will […] and you will find them all hidden and contained in this little word: is.” I will explain much later. Now, this quote (the third and final one for the day) can be found in my “A Dictionary of Superstitions”. Maybe it too has nothing to do with what happened, but I thought is was a good quote. “It is accounted very unlucky for a wedding to meet a funeral. In fact meeting a funeral is no good omen at anytime.” Now, the other day, we were all saturated by reports of the heartless attacks in NYC and Washington. Yesterday, people began moving, crying, and looking for someone to blame. So far, the Middle East (Muslims, in particular) is being blamed. The terrorist side says that the United States of America had it coming. Perhaps this is true, but so many innocent people were slaughtered. The body count is still uncertain. Politics and religion; all makes for a grim game. George W. Bush has declared war upon the unknown mastermind, and there are Palestinians dancing in the streets. Would Allah truly want this? Nothing is certain in these troubled times. O Presence, come and protect us. Amen. SYS.

9th graders give hugs?

Today, some brand-new 9th graders (previously 8th graders the staff said goodbye to at the close of June), paid me a visit at work and did the unthinkable. They hugged their librarian. It's funny, but I never thought I made as good an impression as all that on them. I'm assuming they'd hug their teachers but me? Needless to say, I drove home with a lightness in my being that was not there before. There are some students you never think are going to come away from a library period thinking 'hey, she's all right' and consistently think that enough that you become someone special to them. They had their first day of high school today and were probably looking forward to visiting their old middle school for some comforting thoughts. Their statement about high school was that it was 'SCARY'. Yes, I remember being uneasy about starting 9th grade myself. New teachers, new school, new experiences, and new acquaintances. And yet, for me, high school was my favourite part of the 13 years I was at school. I don't think I'm alone in thinking this.
Tomorrow is my last day with wrestling with the laminator for a few days. I've been consistently feeding things into that creaking contraption and on Friday I rest. Things are looking up at work, what with the file I've been impatiently waiting for finally on the verge of coming in. Maybe tomorrow I'll get some more visitors. Not holding my breath but it would be nice. On the literary level, I just finished reading Yeats' 'Mythologies'. A very good read about concepts I've never thought to consider as mythology but they probably can be considered as such. Stories telling of the Faery world, of certain esoteric orders, and other interesting concepts. If I ever read it again, I think I'll try and get a newer copy, as the one I had smelled of age, and you know what that smell does to me. Not a good thing.
My next adventure concerns 'The myth of Sisyphus' by Camus. Not new ground - I've read it before - but maybe I'll find something new the second time around. BYE.

Amid hunger pangs

So my locale got some substantial rain last night and I slept right through it. Granted, I like getting a decent night's rest, but I missed what was supposed to be a very good light show. There may be some more rain this evening, and we definitely need this rain. I worked on my library's webpage today but there's lots of work still to do. I know it's something I need to keep updated, but I don't always have the time. That's life. I spent an hour here, an hour there updating the colours and adding blurbs here and there. It's a start. I transplanted another of my poor root-bound plants today at work. I know, it's the wrong season to do it, but I had the time today and I'm pretty sure I won't find the time this spring. Better now when I have some time than later when I don't. Took a break from laminating but I'll be back to that fun and excitement tomorrow. I'm a little annoyed with that bottom roller, but considering the machine is doing what it should, and considering I'm not sure if it is the bottom roller's fault or something I didn't do, I'll just keep chugging along. Last year things were pretty bad until I learned I had screwed something up. One learns something new every day.
On the literary front, I finished reading another study on gothic fiction. No Lovecraft yet graces my borrow shelf, but that is surely coming. The book I just read was a study on Lovecraft, Matheson, and King. Matheson wrote 'I am Legend', which is another book I have yet to read. I may borrow one of these days. I don't know if I consider it an overhyped book, considering nobody's been talking the book or the movie ad nauseam, unlike some books and movies I've heard about. To this day, I have yet to watch 'Titanic', and I pray I never will. I'm not fond of DeCaprio and I loathe that song something fierce. Yeah, I think I'll stay away from that movie for the rest of my days. Now it's time to take up the third part of Piers Anthony's Geodyssey series. I also have the 4th one waiting in the wings. This has been a good series so far. I'm also reading through the Apprentice Adept series. Just need some Xanth to keep things light. I haven't done much lighter fare lately. Maybe the time is coming. It would be a nice change.
The weekend is calling, but I can't pick up the phone for another 21 hours. Maybe I'll play the Sims tonight. Or I'll read some more. Ah, the outstanding life of an embittered spinster.