From Our Family to Yours...

We, the Norrises, wish you all a very Merry (belated) Christmas and a Happy New Year! I hope you are blessed with peace, love and many books in 2008.

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. -Psalm 3:5 (TNIV)

From Our Family to Yours...

We, the Norrises, wish you all a very Merry (belated) Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
-Psalm 3:5 (TNIV)

Feliz Navidad!

Our Christmas Eve feast! Tomorrow is Chinese! Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2007

The picture is of the first of many birthday celebrations to carry on through the weekend. Jason was sweet enough to accompany me to a girly-girl tea room for lunch this week. We went to see August Rush last night (so good). Tonight is ice cream. Tomorrow...we have shopping, dinner, and even more ice cream. And Sunday, we're trying a new place for brunch. Oh, yeah, and after all that, Christmas. ;)

Circa 1983

I have no idea about the specifics/amount of celebrating that centered around my birthday that year, but I do know that it's scary how much I look like Strawberry Shortcake.

Presentation, Random Reading and Quick Links

Here are a couple of quick links to start your Friday on the right note...

An article about pending revisions to the Freedom of Information Act

And a short piece on "Blogging for Success" from Library Journal

Meanwhile, a few weeks ago, I was called upon to do my first presentation at my current job. After much weeping and gnashing of teeth, a few panic-attacks, and a lot of good advice from Maggie (thank you again!), I was able to put something together. So I wanted to share that here. It's kind of long, so I'll probably do it in installments.

Also, one really good thing came out of the whole effort. We are starting a library book discussion group, where we will meet for lunch once a month and discuss the selected reading. In January, we'll be talking about The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora Welty.

I am also planning to review Nuns and Soldiers soon. I've been reading more than that, but I've been slack about reviewing. Some of my selections...Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller, God's Politics by Jim Wallis, How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler, Style by Joseph Williams and Letters to an American Lady by C.S. Lewis.

And...lest we forget...my husband and I have been watching a Christmas movie every night! (We saw August Rush last night and loved it!) It's been a crazy December for us...but fun. As I'm sure it is for most of you.

So, I wish you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

(And, here's the handout.)

The "annotated reading list for theological librarians" consisted of six main sections: Know Thyself, Expanding Awareness, Mixing Politics, Follow-Ups, Tiffany's Favorites and Links/Resources. Below is the "Know Thyself" section (keep in mind I work in a Christian library). The red ones are now on my wish/to-be-read list!

Enjoy, and I'd love to hear your comments on any of these books!

How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler
Evangelism for the Rest of Us by Mike Bechtle
1,001 Books You Must Read Before You Die by Peter Boxall
Christ is All by David Bryant
The Way of the Master by Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort
The NextGen Librarian's Survival Guide by Rachel Singer Gordon
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
You Are Special by Max Lucado
A Reading Diary by Alberto Manguel
The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians by Carla Morris
Book Lust (and More Book Lust) by Nancy Pearl
Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose
Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson
The Look of Reading by Garrett Stewart
The Elements of Style Illustrated by William Strunk and E.B. White
The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease
Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss
Dangerous Surrender by Kay Warren
Style by Joseph Williams

Thoughts on James

The Book of James is probably my favorite book in the Bible. I read it this morning, and verse after verse just leapt out at me, as they usually do. I like that it's so full of practical advice and very applicable to Christians today. It's not a stretch to understand it for me.

Anyway, I haven't been able to get some of these verses off my mind today, so I thought I'd just post a few (ok, several) here and see if you enjoy them as much as I do!

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything...Blessed are those who persevere under trial, because when they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him...Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Those who listen to the word but do not do what it says are like people who look at their faces in a mirror and, after looking at themselves, go away and immediately forget what they look like. But those who look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continue in it—not forgetting what they have heard but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. (1:2-4, 12, 22-25)

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (1:17)

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because our anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. (1:19, 20)

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if people claim to have faith but have no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that people are justified by what they do and not by faith alone. (2:14-24)

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. (3:9-10)

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. (4:13-14)

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make them well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring them back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the way of error will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. (5:13-20)

Fred Yunioshi-Pt. 2

I recently posted about Fred's possible resemblance to a Breakfast at Tiffany's character. Anyway, when I was home sick last week, I was consoling myself with a viewing, and I took a screen shot to better illustrate my point. So, here you go. Happy Monday.

Proving, Once Again, That Librarians DO Have a Sense of Humor

Looking for a calendar for next year? This one's too funny not to share...

The Mildly Attractive Men of SLIS

Christmas Photo Essay

Finally getting our holiday stuff together...All of these are of Fred, incidentally. The exciting news is that they were taken with our new digital camera--woohoo! An early Christmas present from Dad! (Thanks, Dad!)

The Kids Are Alright

So I walked up to the counter of my favorite Fort Worth coffee shop today, where the 18-ish-year-old barista looked up from reading to take my order. (Large black coffee, incidentally--it's been a long week.) Anyway, she was reading Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. Ever the librarian, I asked if she was enjoying it.

Her response?

"Yeah. I'm really into reading the classics."






I think it's cool that...
1) This "young adult" (I feel so old) was actually reading...
2) She was reading Vonnegut...
3) She considers Vonnegut a "classic."


So, we chatted for a minute more--increasing my "cool points" ha--and I couldn't help giving her a recommendation. But this little encounter left me with a good feeling.


People are reading. All is right with the world.

Sick Day

The only things that make being sick bearable-stack of magazines, big box of kleenex, chicken noodle soup, Little Women and a sparkling Christmas tree.

Be Nice to Our Fluffy, Furry, Fuzzy Friends...and Catching Up

Well, it’s been a whirlwind week here in Norris-World. Catching up from Thanksgiving, studying for finals, making holiday plans, attending holiday parties, changing Fred’s food, presentations, meetings, dentist appointments and just all of the stuff of life. Wow! The days are FLYING by, and it’s been hard to catch my breath!

Anyway, a couple of things about the last week are sticking out in my mind.

First, Jason and I have been trying to watch something Christmas-y every night, so that’s been fun. Highlights include A Christmas Story and It’s a Wonderful Life. The down-light (is that a word?) so far has been Christmas Do-Over, and we’re checking out Deck the Halls tonight. That one looks iffy.

Also, on a totally different note, it seems like I’ve read one story after another lately about animal cruelty. They all sicken me, but I think this one hit me really hard because it was so close to my hometown.

Now, I’ll admit…I consider my dog a member of our family, and he is way too spoiled. Also, I don’t eat cows and pigs (although that’s just a personal thing—no judging). And I sometimes treat animals nicer than I do people. I’m working on that one. :)

But I’m not asking y’all to be as nuts about the animal population as I am. I guess I just want to raise awareness a little and let you know some of the possibilities if you’re as disturbed and moved to action as I am by this cruelty. Domestic animals, especially, are weaker than we are. They depend upon us for protection. Unless mistreated or trained otherwise, they are, for the most part, instinctively loyal, loving and deserving of our consideration.

So, here are a few links if you’re interested in finding out more about animal issues and rights. Feel free to jump on the bandwagon with me! Sorry if I got too preachy…and have a good weekend!

http://blog.vegcooking.com/
http://www.ddal.org/
http://www.humanesociety.org/
http://www.peta.org/


Oh...and I don't put pictures of them up often, but I couldn't resist posting a couple of my niece and nephew trash talking during the Iron Bowl. Roll Tide.

Copyright & Quick Links

A question came across the SLIS listserv recently concerning copyright, and many of my fellow librarians sent out a slew of helpful links. Here they are all nicely collected…

Copyright Office (within the Library of Congress Web site)

Direct link for the Copyright Basics page

"Creative Commons" licenses

University of Texas Crash Course in Copyright

Other helpful links:

http://www.copyright.iupui.edu/quickguide.htm
http://www.library.ucsf.edu/research/scholcomm/copyright.html
http://tscott.typepad.com/tsp/

And…these don’t have much to do with copyright, but I like sending out quick links on Fridays! Enjoy!

An article from "In These Times" about a county in Oregon outsourcing the public library service to a vendor.

Information about the Future of Bibliographic Control

Christmas Presents

David asks...

What was the best Christmas present you ever received?

Well, I truly loved the original Nintendo, the piano, and the stacks-upon-stacks of books that I have gratefully received over the years. However, my favorite would probably be an electric typewriter my parents surprised me with when I was eight years old.

Eight-year-old Tiffany wanted to be a writer, so I asked for the typewriter because no one had personal computers in 1988. :) My parents led me to believe they had bought my brother (newly-graduated from college) the typewriter, so I was heading into the Christmas season all sad about it. But then...they had me sit down on the couch and close my eyes, and then they put it on my scrawny little knees. Good times.

I still have (and use) my good ol' typewriter; although, I mix it up with the laptop a little more often now. And the last time I had to buy a ribbon for it I had to search all over Birmingham. But that's OK. I still like it.

Now...what was YOUR favorite present?