The Bowler Derbies Take Silver!

In the team costume contest that is. Our bowling score bottomed out but we made up for it with team spirit.

I often refer to October as "the most wonderful time of the year" and it seems I work for an organization that has much the same sentiment. Apparently, costume bowling night is the biggest Anythink social event of the year. All kinds of people showed up to it too - including:

David Bowie

the Tooth Fairy (Rosie the Riveter too)

and The Dude (*gold star to anyone who can guess what she made her beard out of...)

Matt originally planned to go as Alex DeLarge from the Clockwork Orange (as he had white temple clothes and a bowler to work with) but he opted out when his eye makeup failed and went for this look:

Though we originally thought that he would be my "sugar daddy", we decided that he was way too under dressed to match my flashy look and perhaps even a decade too late. We decided he could be the middle class banker look of the 30s. An interesting costume in today's economic context I think but it just came together on its own when we found a cheap waistcoat at Unique Thrift Store and a black tie at TJ Maxx not more than half an hour before bowling time. Still, we were told more than once we made a dynamite couple's costume. It was fun hanging on his arm with one hand with my straw cigarette in the other. I felt absolutely smashing.

So indeed, it made for a most wonderful time this autumnal season. There are still many festivities to anticipate too! Glow-in-the-dark party with my tweens and teens on Thursday, ward Halloween costume and chili event on Saturday (they asked us all to dress up from the scriptures. Matt is planning on going as the iron rod and me the mist of darkness. perhaps more on that later), and library movie night on Halloween itself. Oh and we have been eating squash and pumpkin everything these last few weeks thanks to our friends garden. A very happy October to us all!

*Karo syrup and tea leaves...

And in other news, I have officially joined a master's swim team. I now swim in the wake of Amazon women and am learning all kinds of things that are wrong with several of my strokes. It is humbling and inspiring and I believe the best way to improve. Though I find myself constantly reminding myself what my cross country coach used to say "what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger". Hopefully I can remember that the day we swim 4K.

We've Reached the Star Trek Threshold People...

The week before Matt and I left for Scotland, we had only just finished the 1st season of Mad Men and had all kinds of Instant Queue shows waiting for us once we got back to a stateside IP address. When we first got back we had a bit of a smorgasbord of television series to catch up with. And with the new seasons of Parks and Recreation, Modern Family, and The Middle it seemed like there would be plenty to keep us busy. But it turns out that when you move to a place where you don't know anyone (read: don't have many friends) and have limited funding, well, you can burn through that kind of stuff pretty fast.

And so, we have reached a new avenue in our lives together (or should I say a new frontier?) and have climbed aboard the Star Trek wagon (or should I say space ship?). You know things are intense when you hear "Whoa, cool! They just added "Deep Space Nine" to Instant Queue. They took it off for awhile but then put it back on." I made fun of Matt until I realized it was my turn to come up with an idea for a show to watch before we went to bed tonight and I couldn't come up with anything. Matt offered "Hey, well. Star Trek is pretty good if you can get over the space thing."

So here we are tonight, watching Star Trek: the next generation. Disclaimers aside ("Yeah the special effects aren't good, so that is kinda distracting sometimes." Matt admits. "And their uniforms are kinda funny..." etc)

Other than that, we have reached the Star Trek threshold. And so far, I have to say, it is an okay place to be in life. Maybe we can add this to our list of things that make us more "adult" (afterall, we do own a Subaru and have 9-5 working schedules...) Either way, it has spurred a number of questions we are now seeking to answer like:

"What do the different colors of uniforms refer to?"

"Is Data sentient afterall?"

"What happened to Jordi Laforge's eyes anyway?"

"Do some of these characters have X-Men-like powers? What's the deal with the lady that can read minds?"

Full Immersion Language Learning

When I moved to Texas, I learned the art of using terms like "y'all" and "fixin' to" and "mess of..." etc.

When I moved to Scotland, I learned the art of British English. "Y'all" became "Yous" and "Pants" quickly became "Trousers" (the learning curve was much sharper on the later).

Though Colorado is not known for its rich culture and linguistic intrigues, Anythink makes up for it three fold. And being culturally committed to where I am planted, I am immersing myself in the "Anythink" way so that I can count myself not only a "team player" but also be part of "The Revolution of the Rangeview Library District".

And so these are things I am learning to say:

 - I am not an "employee" - I am an "Anythinker"

 - I don't serve "patrons" - I serve "customers"

- I am not a "Librarian" - I am a "Guide". This one was a wee bit tricky for me as I worked hard for two years in school to earn the official "librarian" title but a "Teen Guide" I am.

 - Nonfiction is not organized by Dewey or Subject, rather it is "Wordthink".

- I don't do "book talks" - I do "book pitches" or give the latest "book buzz"

- I don't wait for questions at the "reference desk". I hang out close to the "front perch" or "tech perch" or "children's perch" etc so that I available to answer questions when they arise.

It may all sound funny at first but I think I am finally starting to get the hang of it. One thing is for sure though. The easiest way to adapt to a new culture, no matter how foreign, is simply to embrace it. I am a full immersion learning when it comes to things like this (judging by my last 3 moves in the last 3 1/2 years). Though that may give you some kind of explanation if all of the sudden my terms for things get a wee bit "hip" or "Anythinky" for the likes of myself. I am not a poser. It is just that, at the moment, I am an Anythinker...

So much to love about cold weather...

Cold autumnal running, hot baths with a crossword puzzle, herbal tea!, soup, pumpkin and squash everything, flannel pyjamas....

And for some reason, it just seems so fitting to watch my fill of Pingu these days. If you are unfamiliar, may I direct you to Netflix instant queue? They have the definitive collection I believe. For anyone who possibly knows this character already, may I pose the question: Is it "NOOK NOOK" or "NOOT NOOT"?