So, what's your type?

*Updated with a couple of links...
http://www.personalitypage.com/high-level.html
http://www.personalitypage.com/ISTJ.html (my type)

I borrowed the handy-dandy personality type widget from Supablogga, but Jason and I have been "type-watching" for awhile now. You can read tons more about this at sites all over the Net, but here's a quick rundown:

According to the Myers-Briggs theory, there are 16 personality types. (You can take the quiz by clicking on the picture to the right.) These are based on the combinations of the four main groups: Introvert/Extravert; Intuitive/Sensing; Feeling/Thinking; and Perceiving/Judging. This basically defines all of humanity, and, before you get skeptical, here's my story.

Jason was actually introduced to and interested in personality types way before I came along. He had me take the test back in college, where I scored pretty much the same as I did above, but I was majorly skeptical, thinking this was pretty much like the quiz I took in Cosmo every month (i.e. What kind of animal are you? Which literary character are you?).

Not that there's anything wrong with those and other personality type theories, but this one, to me, blows all the rest of them away. I didn't realize this, however, until a few years later when I spent a little more time researching the types and their descriptions. Why did I get interested at that point? Because that was when I had a crush on Jason, and you know how that goes. Your guy likes Aerosmith, you start learning all about Steven Tyler.

Anyway...before long, I was convinced, too. In fact, I would go so far to say that, next to putting God at the center of our marriage, this is the thing that most helps us have a happy and healthy marriage.

It's been unbelievably valuable to us in other relationships as well (work, family, even Fred, who is an ESTP, by the way).

And if you're more curious about multiple intelligences, go to library school! You will learn all about it there!

So, if you're still reading and if you want to know a little more about me...here goes...

ISTJs have a keen sense of right and wrong, especially in their area of interest and/or responsibility. They are noted for devotion to duty. Punctuality is a watchword of the ISTJ, and you can set your clocks by us.

ISTJs often give the initial impression of being aloof and perhaps somewhat cold. Effusive expression of emotional warmth is not something that we do without considerable energy loss.

ISTJs are most at home with "just the facts, Ma'am." They seem to perform at highest efficiency when employing a step-by-step approach. Once a new procedure has proven itself (i.e., has been shown "to work,") the ISTJ can be depended upon to carry it through, even at the expense of their own health.

ISTJs are easily frustrated by the inconsistencies of others, especially when the second parties don't keep their commitments. But they usually keep their feelings to themselves unless they are asked. And when asked, they don't mince words. Truth wins out over tact. The grim determination of the ISTJ vindicates itself in situations that require making tough calls and sticking to them.

The ISTJ does well in the service of established institutions. Home, social clubs, government, schools, the military, churches. "We've always done it this way" is often reason enough for many ISTJs. Threats to time-honored traditions or established organizations are to be fought at all costs.

So now I want to know...what's YOUR type?

What?! More Quick Links?!

OK, I know I just posted some quick links, but these were close to my heart, so I couldn't wait to share them!

This story about an archives collection in New Orleans was absolutely incredible. Gave me chills!

Meanwhile, UA's Marr's Field Journal is getting a new look.

And...a fellow SLIS person, Muriel Wells, has an article in the October issue of LIScareer.com.

Bible Literacy and Other Links

The Baptist Press has been all over the literary issues lately!

The first two are a couple of perspectives on literacy and what that has to do with the Bible. I loved getting the different viewpoints in these articles!

http://www.bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=26294

http://www.bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=26362

Meanwhile...a more troubling look at some censorship issues in prison...

http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=26463&ref=BPNews-RSSFeed0920

Equally troubling...are airport screeners watching what you read?

And closer to Alabama...a lovely little Birmingham bookstore has a cool new non-fiction book club aimed at academics, students, and the rest of the population who enjoy reading non-fiction and learning more about various subjects. The club is paired with the McWane Science Center, and the books will be picked quarterly to correspond with whatever special exhibits they have there. Makes me miss home even more!

This was cute...A kid's-eye view of laptop design

A report on Emerging Issues in Academic Library Cataloging & Technical Services

Another report on a survey of library cafes

And, finally, one more report on the ever-evolving use of technology

The Third Anniversary of Our Second First Date

Yeah, you read the title right. Today is the third anniversary of the second time that Jason and I went on a first date.

We had dated a little bit in college…but we didn’t really “get” each other until I came back for grad school. On that second first date, we ate outside at Jason’s Deli (it was considerably cooler that year than it is this year), watched a Bama game on television, then walked around the ever-inspiring UA campus.

And, pretty much from that date forward, we “got” each other.

The end.

The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle

The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting

Tommy Stubbins longs for adventure and excitement. Growing up in a small English village in a relatively poor family, he does not see much hope for either of these.

That is, until he meets Doctor Dolittle. Like Tommy, the Doctor is fascinated by all of nature--but especially by animals. He even speaks many different animal languages!

How can Tommy resist when Doctor Dolittle asks him to be an apprentice? He moves in with the Doctor and his menagerie, studying animal life for himself.

And he is finally able to seize his chance for adventure when the Doctor decides to go on an ocean voyage looking for the greatest living naturalist, Long Arrow. But Tommy and the Doctor don't count on stowaways, storms and stubborn tribes-people getting in the way of their quest.

During these adventures, and with the help of some ingenius animal friends, Tommy sees that there is much more to being a naturalist's apprentice than he realized.

Favorite quotes:

It was a very pleasant life I lived in those days long ago--though of course I did not think so then. I was nine and a half years old, and, like all boys, I wanted to grow up--not knowing how well off I was with no cares and nothing to worry me. Always I longed for the time when I should be allowed to leave my father's house, to take passage in one of those brave ships, to sail down the river through the misty marshes to the sea--out into the world to seek my fortune.

It was the kind of a garden where you could wander and explore for days and days--always coming upon something new, always glad to find the old spots over again. That first time that I saw the Doctor's garden I was so charmed by it that I felt I would like to live in it and never go outside of it again. For it had everything within its walls to make living pleasant--to keep the heart at peace. It was the garden of dreams.

I had thought that all kings had to do was to sit on a throne and have people bow down before them several times a day. I now saw that a king can be the hardest-working man in the world--if he attends properly to his business.

Quick Links and Quick Pic

This is a picture of me at work. Jason and I were having lunch and just goofing around. Now, on to more interesting things...Quick Links for your Thursday!

Here are three articles about libraries' web access, computer usage, all that stuff...

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/331310_libraryinternet12.html

http://apnews1.iwon.com//article/20070912/D8RJR30O0.html

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2007-09-12-libraries-internet-pcs_N.htm?csp=Tech

A recommended resource...
http://findarticles.com/

And an interesting controversy concerning a "naughty novel" at Brookwood High School back in Sweet Home...

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20070912/NEWS/70912004/1007
http://videogameblog.tuscaloosanews.com/default.asp?item=675259

Yes, I am a Christian

I think I’ve mentioned it, but I'm taking what I call my “how to be a good wife” class at Southwestern this semester. And one of our assignments was to write our personal testimony—how we became a Christian and/or what being a Christian means in our life.

This was harder than you might think. I’ve actually been working on this thing for a couple of weeks now, but here it is! If it sounds pretentious or heavy, I apologize. (It’s also longer than I intended it to be.)

Incidentally, if you’re a Christian, I’d love to hear your story...either as a comment on my blog or in a blog post of your own. If you’re reading this, and you’re not a Christian, I welcome questions and discussions!

So, here’s my story…

I grew up in a family that went to church every time the doors were open, and I can’t stress how thankful I am for this. My parents and my first church provided me with love, guidance and a strong knowledge of the Bible. So my decision to become a Christian at 10 years old was kind of a natural step. (Just for clarification, to me becoming a Christian means believing that Jesus is the son of God, that He died so my sins could be forgiven, being sorry of those sins and being baptized.)

I have always considered myself a Christian, but as I grew older, I saw this more as a belief, rather than a way of life. Other than a list of rules Christians were or were not supposed to do, I didn’t understand how being a Christian made a difference in day-to-day life.

In college, I began to see how that could happen. However, instead of trying to grow spiritually and learn more about God, I actually became apathetic, complacent and comfortable with my religious situation. I slipped into a routine of going to church, praying and reading the Bible. But I was simply “going through the motions” without giving much thought to what I was doing. It wasn’t long before I no longer acted like a Christian should, and I even ignored signs that I believe God was sending me to change my life.

Meanwhile, time went on. My mother passed away. I was in an unhealthy relationship, and I began contemplating leaving the journalism business. However, the real catalyst for change in my life was in the fall of 2004. I had decided to go back to graduate school, moving from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa (Alabama), and, despite some other positive changes in my life, I was living selfishly and just acutely unhappy.

So, in frustration and desperation, I told God one day. “OK, this is it. Whatever I’m doing is just not working. Here’s my life. I’m yours. Do what you want with me. I don’t care. Wherever you want me to go, I will. Whoever you want me to be, I will. Because I am miserable, and I am obviously doing a pretty rotten job of things on my own.”

Truthfully, I didn’t expect any big change or revelation in my life, but that was my first lesson in taking God seriously. I learned to be careful what you promise Him because He will change your life if you let Him!

On that September day, I never could have imagined that God would have me marry Jason, serve as a Christian school librarian, work through my grief to comfort others, attend a Baptist church (of all things), leave my home state and move to Texas. But I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but walking with Him.

Since then, life has been good…some of the time. It’s been full of challenges, excitement, frustrations and sorrows. In other words, it’s just been life. What has changed is how I approach situations, view other people and navigate through circumstances. I know I couldn’t even cope, much less have an incomprehensible peace and an overflowing joy, without God as the center of my universe. I know that because I have tried to do it on my own, and I failed. It doesn’t work.

So, again, I’d love to hear your story, questions or both. How’s life working for you?

Dad takes on Texas!

My dad was in town for his birthday. Festivities included burgers at Kincaid's, strolling in Sundance Square, and lots and lots of coffee. Dad also won a houndstooth visor at Bonnie and Clyde's while watching the Tide beat Vandy. More pics to come soon.

Monday Quick Links and Preview

Just a couple of quick thoughts at the end of a long, long Monday.

Such sad news about Madeleine L'Engle. What an impact she made! She will be missed.

Meanwhile, some lovely libraries.

And a review on The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle is coming soon!

Happy Friday!

A few Friday quick links...

-Call for Librarians to "Slam the Boards" on Sept. 10--librarians are called to invade the various Web "answer" boardsites, answering as many questions as they can usingauthoritative sources.

-Rather rent than buy? Now do that with your textbooks--based on the concept used for video rentals from NetFlix and Blockbusteronline.

-E-LIS is an open access archive for scientific or technical documents on Librarianship, Information Science andTechnology, and related areas. Community-owned and community-driven by volunteers.

Happy Friday! Now I gotta go...my dad's coming to town!

One month later...

Jason, Fred and I moved from Tuscaloosa to Fort Worth one month ago.


Just before the big move west, I did a post about things I would miss in Tuscaloosa. I still miss all those things (especially the people-things), but we're getting accustomed to life in Texas.


And, just so you wouldn't think I was too homesick for Tuscaloosa, here are 10 random things I'm loving about Fort Worth.


1.) Our apartment-

OK, it's about 1/3 of the size of our Tuscaloosa place. We've had garbage disposal trouble, a broken closet door and a funny-sounding toilet. But we're learning to down-size; all the problems have so far been fixed. And it's starting to feel more like home.







2.) Half-Price Books-

Oh. my. goodness. We could just stay here for hours and hours. If it had a coffee shop, I don't think I'd ever have a reason to go anywhere else. Cheap (old and new) books, movies, records. Yep, records.


3.) Public library-

Granted, I'd probably love the public library wherever I live, but Fort Worth has 15 branches! Our neighborhood branch is small, friendly and fairly well-stocked. Plus, if I can't find it there, I can head over to one of the big ol' regional branches. Who could ask for anything more?


4.) Kroger-

Coming off of a love affair with Publix and Target (my two grocery mainstays in Tuscaloosa), I never thought I could find a grocery store that satisfied me as much here. However, Kroger has an incredible selection of all of the foods/products we buy. Ours is about a block from our apartment. Plus, the prices are cheaper, and I avoid the temptation of the shoe section at Super Target!


5.) Radio stations-

Again, after saying goodbye to APR, I just didn't know what kind of radio programming we'd find here in the DFW area. And, honestly, KERA just doesn't have quite the same appeal as APR...probably because I don't know any of the on-air folks. :) I do, however, get my Morning Edition/All Things Considered fix when I'm driving to and from work. At all other times, my radio is rocking with the Christians. We have a Christian rock (and I do mean rock) station. Jason can only take so much, but I love its Aerosmith sound mixed with a good message.


6.) Downtown Cowtown-


Am I the first person to make that joke? Probably not. Anyway, the downtown area of Fort Worth is really nice. We're taking my dad down to Sundance Square this weekend, and it's got all kinds of cool cultural stuff, restaurants and pedestrian-friendly areas.





7.) Tide in Texas-

I just can't tell you how cool it was to see a room full of Bama jerseys on gameday. I think that's the most homesick I've been so far, but it was a ton of fun.


8.) My job-

Lots to learn, but I work with amazing people. My boss is a Bama grad/fan, which is beyond cool. My workers have been so helpful. And it's really nice to see my husband every day. :)


9.) Mrs. Patterson's class-

I'm taking what I call my "how to be a good wife" class through the seminary wives program here at SWBTS. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but it has actually been enjoyable and helpful so far. In fact, I'm thinking of going on to get my "how to be a good wife" degree. OK, it's not really called that, but they really do have a full program for seminary wives. I'll do another post on that soon.


10.) The seminary coffee shop-

Wild Bill's. Not the jewelry store/pawn shop in Columbus, GA that my brother's father-in-law owns. This is Wild Bill's Coffee. And I am going to spend all of our money there. The coffee is cheap...but only if you don't go three times a day. They have all these incredible flavors (usually around 10 brewing at a time). And I love it so much. It helps fill the Heritage House-shaped void in my heart.



So those are the things I'm loving about Fort Worth right now.


The end.

Mockingbird

Mockingbird by Charles Shields

I first read To Kill a Mockingbird in my 9th-grade English class. I was immediately entranced, seeing my childhood in Scout, my tiny town of Tuscumbia in Maycomb and my ideal novelist in Harper Lee.

I love her descriptions, her humor and the way she tells the story from the points of view of both a child and an adult.

I could go on and on. But this is not a review of To Kill a Mockingbird. This is a review of Mockingbird.

And Charles Shields, though not Harper Lee, has written a fine description of her life, her humor and, perhaps most importantly, her writing process. Mockingbird is a fascinating biography and a must-read for any self-respecting To Kill a Mockingbird fan.

Shields had an uphill battle. As any good reader (and most Alabamians) know, Lee is notoriously private. She is not a recluse (that's a sticking point with me, a fellow introvert), and Shields makes this clear. She just seems to not want her private life on display.

As Shields says in the introduction, "In our era of relentless and often prurient self-exposure by some approval-hungry personalities, Lee prefers silence and self-respect."

While appreciating this, I do believe readers have a natural and understandable curiosity about the real-life versions of Scout, Atticus and what happened after To Kill a Mockingbird.

Shields does an excellent job of writing not what we want to know, but merely what we need to know. He refrains from speculation and presents the facts as he meticulously researched them, scarce though they may be at times.

And when I say meticulous, I mean it. Take a look at the more than 30 pages of notes and references (in a 300-page biography). I was duly impressed.

For me, the highlights of the book were hearing about her days at the University of Alabama, her time spent helping Truman Capote research In Cold Blood and that ever-elusive second novel.

As a UA alum and former journalist, it was especially poignant to read about her time at the Rammer Jammer, strolling down Sorority Row and taking English classes in Morgan Hall.

However, I can also understand her need to escape the state of Alabama, where small communities (and the occasional small mind) can feel as oppressive as the late August heat, especially to an independent thinker like Lee.

While she is an independent thinker, she apparently is also traditional when it comes to values like loyalty to family and friends. This is best exemplified by her lifelong relationship with and devotion to Truman Capote.

Capote is another subject for another day. Suffice it to say, Shields proves that Lee was a major factor in the research and writing of In Cold Blood but received virtually no credit.

"It seemed as if the process of reporting and writing the book had transformed him [Capote] into a person who was, more than ever, completely self-centered and willing to exploit any of his friends in his own self-aggrandizing quest for fame and fortune."

Adding insult to injury are the persistent rumors of Capote being the real writer of To Kill a Mockingbird. Shields effectively puts these rumors to rest as well.

But the big question has always been about a second novel. I won't spoil the reading for you, but Shields does shed as much light as possible on Lee's reasons for never publishing again.

Lee described herself as someone who "must write." And I can't help but wonder if another novel or even a collection of stories could be somewhere in her Monroeville home or New York apartment. Or maybe it is still in her mind.

Call me an optimist, but I hope Mockingbird is not the last we'll see of Harper Lee.

Roll Tide!

Watching the bama game at Bonnie and Clydes hideout in Grapevine.