Feces @ Your Library/ Ain't No Stopping Us Now...

It's a two-fer or two mints in one. On Monday, I walked out of my work area and a horrible smell permeated the hall. No surprise as I'm not too far from the public restrooms and sometimes it just smells like urine/ass. The floors are rather mottled in coloration--think a calico cat. I looked down as I walked and saw something the size of a Baby Ruth that blended into the floor. Naahh--it couldn't be....sho'nuff! Feces! I returned to my office, called maintenance and told them in the most delicate way that they had a job to do. I learned later that the maintenance guy had to follow the "trail of tears" because Mr. Download let loose on the first floor, too! It brought back NYC memories of "shake, rattle, and roll" or as Paulie warned me, bums who couldn't or wouldn't find a bathroom who would let the solid byproduct roll down their pant legs. Many people think public libraries are so genteel. Considering that there are fewer and fewer resources for the indigent and/or mentally ill we get all kinds of crazy shit--quite literally!

Speaking of shit, newsflash Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is John McCain's running mate! If he wins, we could have our first female president by default! Palin is anti-choice, which means trouble for women in their childbearing years. Quite frankly, once again this is a contest between Giant Douche and Turd Sandwich. Neither candidate does anything for me--they're essentially the same. My protest vote goes to Cynthia McKinney
She won't win but I can actually support her.

Which leads me to the Obama speech last night at the DNC. The major networks had little/nothing to do with the convention, which really surprised me. I guess "Wife Swap" and the "Greatest American Dog" should take precedence over what happens in the political arena...anyway... While we were waiting for his appearance, music was played. "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" was on and the reactions were hi-fuckin'-larious! The camera panned to some of the whitest people EVER who either got down in a robotic way or didn't do anything. After awhile, synchronized flag waving in time to the song reigned supreme over the white folk. Meanwhile, various sista squirrelfriends and bruthamen were mouthing the words and shakin' their boo-tay, totally reprazentin'! Thank God! I realize the DNC is pretty soulless but jeez. They also played what I call the Paul Wellstone funeral theme..."Love Train". I say it's his funeral theme because when they had a funeral service for him, his wife and daughter who perished in a plane crash, they played the song over and over and over until everything was in place. Whenever I hear it, I think of Wellstone.

----------------


----------------
Now playing: McFadden and Whitehead - Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now
via FoxyTunes

I'm Getting to the Point Where...

The Buffalo Brewfest moved its annual event to the HSBC arena. All the other venues that they've used in the past have been too small and overcrowded. Ahh the arena...spreading out so far and wide. Not. They opted to use the hallway rather than the wide open space that the arena would have provided. I'd like to know who the brain surgeon was that decided to advertise the event on rock radio (which guaranteed frat boy mook douches would attend in droves) and then stuff everyone into a hallway. I felt like I was back in college at Goodbar getting that simulated birth canal feeling as I carefully navigate a crowd of drunks. My sinuses were acting up and the air conditioning was trumped by the sheer volume of people. All in all I tried some good beers e.g. McNeil's Scottish Ale (cask condition) from Flying Bison and Cascazilla from Ithaca Beer Company along with a few stouts and porters from vendors that I'd have to look up. We escaped to the upper level to get some air periodically. I'm trying not to be too much of a fuddy duddy but I'm at the point that where I'm less tolerant. My co-worker who I hung out with at this event lets his love of beer outweigh his hatred of crowds. He's older than I am so good for him. Anyway, when serving quality microbrews, allow participants to spread out and sit down if need be. Don't bother with a dj who plays shitty music. Make the event civilized and the frat boys will either get the idea or leave.

As someone who has to interact with the public, I'm getting to the point where I'm tired of people's bad manners and lack of consideration dominate. I'm in the middle of helping someone. Another patron interrupts to let me know that they're done with something and leaving it on the book truck next to my desk. They want to use my pen when we have free golf pencils for them to use and a machine that dispenses pens for 0.25. I tend to be on the Howard Hughes and Howard Stern side and don't like germy strangers touching my belongings. I buy my own pens and bring them to work because the office supply pens are lame.

Democracy Now reported on Trouble the Water ,which chronicles the Roberts before during and after Katrina. Kimberly and her husband Scott were 9th ward residents of New Orleans. Kimberly, an aspiring rapper, purchased a video camera off the street days before the storm and shot some amazing footage. They met the directors of Trouble while staying at a Red Cross shelter. They agreed to let the directors follow them as they rebuilt their lives. Kimberly's insider footage is powerful. The film opened in L.A. and N.Y. I hope it comes to Buffalo, I'd really like to see it. The Roberts tell how they tried to get shelter at a nearby military barracks but were turned away during the storm! Recalling Katrina puts my beer tasting complaints into perspective.

----------------
Now playing: Louis Armstrong - Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans
via FoxyTunes

Random Musings

Thanks to the Obamas for instituting the "Terrorist Bump" (pictured above w/Zan and Jayna, Gleek couldn't make the photo op). As a librarian, I'm often offered a handshake from grateful patrons, and I usually wonder where that hand has been. A former Attica inmate gave me the option for the bump so I took it. His fingernails were on the long side and he smelled boozy, which made his hands' whereabouts questionable.

Buffalo sports fans are mostly slovenly. I realize every city has its guilty parties but ours are egregiously so.

Thanks to the lady who was walking near the Lake Erie waterfront. The circumfrence of each of her thighs equaled that of my torso, which made my thighs feel half way presentable in shorts.

Scream at the Librarian: Sketches of Our Patrons in Downtown Los Angeles by Joel J. Rane is an entertaining read of the dark side of librarianship. I'd love to give this to starry-eyed recent M.L.S. graduates. I never thought I'd relate to Rane's rants but I do and I'm a member of his cheering section. People's manners deteriorate over time and as public servants we're expected to put up with a lot. I've been to the Los Angeles Public Library in downtown L.A. Lots of eccentrics, homeless people, or both. Rane's angst is accurately portrayed as annoying patrons know no geographical boundaries.

I've sworn off Craigslist. I became overly involved in pointless debates. You can't educate people in a Craigslist forum. I already knew that but boredom elicits hope.



----------------
Now playing: Muslimgauze - Jackal The Invizibl
via FoxyTunes