Georgia on My Mind

I've been in Augusta the past two days. My oldest nephew's high school graduation is tomorrow afternoon.

My mother and I arrived yesterday evening an hour before an awards presentation. We made it to the presentation on time.

My nephew's graduation class is small (about 40 students). It's a close-knit group; all are by and large very bright people. My nephew's planning to attend Duke. Three of his classmates will be at Washington University in St. Louis. Others will be at Vanderbilt, NYU, Sewanee, Emory-- just to name some colleges.

This evening we went to a steakhouse-- an extended family gathering of people from both sides of the family. I got to speak with my sister's father-in-law. It's been a few years since I'd seen them. It was really nice to talk to him. I rarely see anyone from my brother-in-law's side of the family. They live in New Jersey and Illinois for the most part.

Search Engine Answer Guy #9

Number 9 in an ongoing series about search terms that bring people to this blog...

My blog entry mentioning the late Paul Davis and his song Sweet Magnolia Blues attracted a lot of people. Search queries on this subject were easily the #1 query that brought people here. Someone even asked me how to find a recording of the song. Apparently the album is out of print because I see that it's going for around $80 on one site. However, an old (and used) album is apparently available here for $20.

The post about Brian Grazer's Cultural Attaché also got some attention as did the one on Santo Gold.

Anyway, it's nice to see that there are a lot of fans of Paul Davis who still appreciate him and his music.

Tuesday Evening

I left Hattiesburg this morning, and now I'm at the library. It was good to be away for a few days, and I'll be away again for a few more days later this week to attend my oldest nephew's high school graduation.

It's quiet. When I arrived, I had some projects I needed to work on, and I did.

And now I'm on call. Waiting.

Waiting for phone calls from other departments with regard to students who have fines, restrictions, and/or overdue books. Waiting until I can leave.

Staying in Hattiesburg

I'm not going to work tomorrow. I got permission.

I didn't feel like driving back to Clinton. I didn't feel like working on Memorial Day.

Friday Afternoon

One hour until the library closes. It looks like the college will be open for business Monday.

Sometimes the college is open for business on Memorial Day. Sometimes it isn't. Most of the time when we know that the college will be closed for Memorial Day, employees won't know until the Thursday or Friday beforehand.

We've not received any notices yet, so it looks like I've got to be here at 8 a.m. Monday morning.

In about fifty-five minutes, I'll be heading down to Hattiesburg to visit my mother and stepfather. I should have some fun this weekend. Well, at least I should get some sleep.

Fifty minutes to go.

Thursday Rain

Today was a frustrating day at work. I didn't get much accomplished thanks to a three-hour power outage. I did maybe one-quarter of what I needed to do.

I've got to get some more things accomplished tomorrow. I want to finish whatever housekeeping duties I've got left before next Thursday.

Next Thursday I'm heading off to Hattiesburg and then Georgia to attend my oldest nephew's high school graduation. My mother is also going. My stepfather isn't. He had already made a commitment before we knew when graduation was occurring.

So my mother and I will be on a road trip, and I've not driven their C 240. They bought it a month ago, and I'll probably take it for a spin sometime this weekend just to get used to the feel. I've seen the key-- looks weird, but then I'm old school.

So that's what's up with me. Not a heck of a lot going on now, but I'll be seeing all sorts of relations next week.

Hopefully it'll be fun even though I'm dreading the long road trip-- and driving through Atlanta.

Wednesday Evening

I've been a good boy and have been doing whatever housekeeping duties I can do between semesters. As I've mentioned many times this year, the spring semester was hectic.

I put off organizing my office because of that. Even though the semester is over, I'm still busy.

Because I've been busy for several months, I'm drained. I need some time away from work. Away from Jackson. Away from it all.

Fortunately, I will have some time away in the next few days. I just hope I will have fun. I hope I will relax.

Opportunities, Etc.

I heard from a former student of mine yesterday. She's going to graduate school in this program. She mentioned that if a city has more than 60 percent of its residents possessing at least bachelors degrees, then it has to be a good place if they're remaining there.

That being said, I'm sometimes asked why don't I apply for any of the job openings I've mentioned here from time to time. Mostly it's because of the salaries offered and the cost of living.

It's more difficult for a single person to move to places with higher costs of living, so I rarely consider them. And sometimes it's because they're positions I don't believe I possess the qualifications needed.

For example, Key West might be a nice place to live. That being said, housing costs are significantly more and the income is less.

The Wildlife Conservation Society is looking for a Director of Information Resources. That sounds like it would be an interesting position. I don't have the grant writing experience though, and New York is a more expensive place to live.

So I see the jobs and think Oh, that'd be nice. But then I re-examine them and think Yeah, sure, it's a nice place, a nice job, but I wouldn't enjoy life.

Monday Afternoon

It's been a pretty busy day. I worked on some housekeeping stuff as well as interlibrary loan requests. I downloaded an unabridged audiobook version of Dracula, and listened to it while working in my office.

I'm not fond of coming in early on Mondays. I'm so not a morning person, and I enjoyed being able to sleep in before arriving at work every Monday afternoon.

Currently, I'm at Cups in Clinton. I don't know what I'll be doing this evening, but not too much.

Good Weekend

In the past few days some friends who live out of town returned to Jackson to visit family and friends. Coppertop's already headed back to Texas, and is probably home. However, FP and OJ who came from Colorado and New York, respectively, are still here.

It was fantastic seeing Coppertop. I've not seen her since she got married last year.

I've not seen FP since winter break. I've not seen OJ in over a month.

I love being with friends, and since I've been pretty close to leading the monastic life this past school year-- not seeing friends as often as I would hope-- being able to visit with them recharges my batteries even though I'm the most introverted person of the group.

My main task at the library this coming week is for me to continue work on organizing my office. I think I'm going to remove a couple of tables-- try to open it up as much as possible-- even if it is a very small room.

I've also got to find another audiobook to download. I finished The Sportswriter Friday.

I need to organize my conference proposal when I get a chance. It'll be nice to see colleagues from other libraries at the conference. I don't know if I'll get much of a chance to have some fun since I'm a presenter.

Another cool thing about the conference: my stay at a motel means that I'll earn enough points to get a free roundtrip flight anywhere in the continental United States. Hopefully American Airlines won't be changing the rules this summer now that I'll have 25,000 miles.

The Last Time...

...May 15 fell on a Thursday, my father died.

Not On Call

I was excused from jury duty earlier this evening. It looks like there aren't going to be any jury trials in Jackson this week.

On Call

I had to go to the courthouse yesterday-- I received a jury duty summons. I'm a member of a panel, and if my panel is needed, I'll have to go to court. I wasn't needed today.

I'm at the library today. I'm going to try to get what I can done because my panel number is low enough that if there a trial this week it's very likely I'll have to go to the courthouse again.

I just wish I was allowed to drink some coffee in the courtroom. I am so not a morning person, and I normally start work on Mondays after noon.

Brian Grazer's Cultural Attaché

I wish I had heard of this job opportunity.

This person would be responsible for keeping Brian abreast of everything that’s going on in the world; politically, culturally, musically. . . . They’re also responsible for finding an interesting person for Brian to meet with every week . . . an astronaut, a journalist, a philosopher, a buddhist monk. . . . There is LOTS of reading for this position! Grazer may ask you to read any book he’s interested in. You’ll probably get to read about 4 or 5 books a week and you may be required to travel with him on his private plane to Hawaii, New York, Europe—teaching him anything he asks you about along the way. . . . You will also be provided with an assistant. . . . Salary is around $150,000 a year. . . . You will be to Grazer what Karl Rove was to Bush.

From the article:
Rovian undertones aside, it’s actually an old concept: according to Anthony Grafton, a history professor at Princeton, Renaissance and Enlightenment princes often had such a minion, known as a “reader.” Frederick the Great, of Prussia, cribbed much of his expertise from a reader named Dantal; Sir Philip Sidney relied on a Livy scholar named Gabriel Harvey to brief him before a meeting with the Holy Roman Emperor.

This position sounds like it'd be a very cool gig.

Monday Afternoon

I made it back from Hattiesburg early this afternoon. I was visiting my mother and stepfather. I'd not seen them in a few weeks.

Final exams begin this week. I've been at work for the past few hours and will be here at the library this evening.

I received word a few days ago that my conference presentation proposal was accepted. I pretty much know how I want to present it. I just need to get it ready.

At least I have a month. That should be plenty of time taking into account a jury duty summons and a trip to Georgia for a nephew's graduation.

I think I'll get to sleep in some tomorrow. I'm covering for a colleague by working the evening shift tomorrow night. At least that's the plan.

And then sometime later this week, I'll head over to Lemuria and pick up a Mother's Day present.

May Day

May 1.

I remember seeing footage of May Day ceremonies in the Soviet Union when I was a child. It almost seemed festive, if not for the lines of military weaponry and equipment.

Final exams begin next week. The semester is winding down-- thank goodness. I almost feel like there should be a parade to celebrate the end of classes.


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Thanks, Life for the photo!