Mattie "La León" LaMew

A month or so back, Mattie LaMew (a.k.a. Miss Snugglypants) was suffering from some nasty fur knots. I wasn't too sure about her method of ridding herself of them by ripping them off with her teeth, then strolling about with scraps of fur dangling from her lips. So she received a summer makeover in the form of a "lion cut" that revealed her surprisingly svelte form. Her fur has started to grow back, revealing the indescribably precious stripes that go nicely with her indescribably precious freckles. She now answers to "La León" as well as Mattie. And by "answer" I mean hops onto her beggin' table and stairs pointedly at her container of kibble.She now answers to "La León" as well as Mattie. And by "answer" I mean hops onto her beggin' table and stairs pointedly at her container of kibble.

That's one good-lookin' bulletin board!

So I waited all summer for inspiration to strike, and when this librarian's lightning bolt strikes, it strikes in a big way. I put together this bulletin board that is now ready for ogling on the first day of school. I must admit, I am totally one to stand around and admire my own bulletin boards after creating them. But why should I have all the fun? Now you, too, can enjoy this beauty! In case it's a little hard to make out all the text, the center panel exclaims: FIRST LINES THAT SAY 'READ ME!' Colorful, eye-catching book covers are accompanied by each book's intriguing first line(s). The smaller pieces of flair are bookmarks, placed amongst the book covers. I think my favorite is this ringer from Monster by A. Lee Martinez: "The thing was big and white and hairy, and it was eating all the ice cream in the walk-in freezer." I also enjoy this opener from Artichoke's Heart by Suzanne Supplee: "Mother spent $700 on a treadmill 'from Santa' that I will never use." These books are bound to be popular this year, given the tremendous influence of my bulletin boards on the reading habits of local youths. FYI, if you click on the picture you will see the bulletin board in all of its glorious detail. The smaller picture is a little grainy for my taste.

Is it too much to say I'm "savor"-ing every word? Yes, it's too much. But it's true.

I recently picked up a copy of Julia Powell's Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen: How One Girl Risked Her Marriage, Her Job, and Her Sanity to Master the Art of Living. How's that for the overachiever of all subtitles? Anyway, I was hoping to read the book before seeing the movie, because that's just how I roll. And what a fabulous surprise: the book is a treat on every level. I was a little apprehensive, given the many hostile reviews this book has received on Amazon. One person even intimated that she was tossing her copy in the recycling bin. Ouch! Okay, so Julie Powell makes no secret of the fact that she dislikes Republicans, and maybe that puts some people off. But to call her narcissistic is a little misguided. Um, her name is part of the title, so I'm thinking most readers will see this one coming ... it's a book about Julie Powell! Yes, she's the star of her own life story, so you can hardly cast this one as a bait-and-switch. But don't take my word for it; try this appetizing sample of Powell's writing to decide if this book is to your taste (all puns fully intended):

"I'd never been to the Pathmark, and let me tell you, I'm never going again. There's nothing I need that much. The sliding doors at the Pathmark open into a wide, white, empty hallway, totally devoid of any sign of life or foodstuffs. At any moment I expected to see a chiseled Aryan commandant come around the corner to usher me along: 'Ja, please, right this way, take a cart, the food is just through here.' But I was at last funneled into not a gas chamber but a glaring white supermarket the size of a stadium, where for the price of the existential horror felt upon witnessing families buying two carts full of RC cola and generic cheese doodles [...] I could procure sugar cubes" (100).

Side note: my brother Evan tells me that in order to make Meryl Streep look more like the physically imposing, 6'2" Julia Child, they used a slightly miniaturized set so that she would loom over her surrounds. They also peopled the film with unusually small actors. Also known as actors.

Will I give Nick Hornby another chance?

It's so thrilling when Booklist arrives in my mailbox every month. Booklist, which is published by the American Library Association, features hundreds of book reviews, a monthly spotlight topic (e.g., "Fall Reference Roundup", "Audiobook Showcase," etc. – are you dozing off yet??), and some of the most boring articles known to mankind. I love Booklist because it keeps me up to date on all the new books out there on the literary horizon. But it's so stodgy! Side note: Some synonyms for stodgy, which I looked it up to make sure I was using the word properly: lacking flair or imagination, laughably formal, pompous, or stuffy. Turns out I really had a handle on the definition of stodgy. But I digress.

This month's issue featured two surprises: a joke that actually made me laugh out loud and a starred review of the latest novel by Nick Hornby. First the joke:

–How many catalogers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
–None. Catalogers don't screw in lightbulbs, they screw in "Illumination—Sources of."

Get it? It's hilarious! I'm so surprised that librarians aren't totally known for their humor. Anyway, starred reviews are bestowed on books that are exceptionally great examples of their genre. Nick Hornby's latest offering, Juliet, Naked, received a starred review. And it has a cute, creative cover. What's a gal to do? I ranted about how much I disliked A Long Way Down, but Hornby's latest promises to be more High Fidelity and less something I would repeatedly fling across the room (The Shack, this means you, again). Nick Hornby should consider himself a fortunate man. With the helpful testimony of Booklist, he's been granted a librarian's pardon.

A celebratory bean burrito. Okay, two bean burritos. And Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes.

I just completed the final day of the final class of my Master's program in English. It's been a long road. I haven't enjoyed all of it, but this last class (Google for Teachers) was interesting AND practical. It was a good choice that has actually eased the extreme bitterness and dislike I've harbored for my graduate program. My next goal is to become a Google Certified Teacher, which would involve an application, an acceptance, and a trip to the Google campus in California. But that's at least a year away. Today I'm just feeling rather reflective, thinking back to when I began this program three and a half years ago. My little Baby Fats was with me then; today I'm enjoying the company of Mattie LaMew, a.k.a. Miss Snugglypants.

So I wanted to treat myself to a special lunch in celebration of completing my last class, but I "settled" for Taco Bell. Who am I kidding, I love Taco Bell! And I'm carrying on a long-standing tradition of celebratory bean burritos. On today's menu: two Fresco bean burritos (low fat, sort of) and some Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes (low fat? ha!). I'm really regretting that second burrito ... a most powerful lethargy overtakes me! Anyway, the Taco Bell web site was rather stingy about sharing a picture of the Fresco menu items, so I had to diversify a little. Thank you, Taco Bell Iceland!!

Ms. Pickett's Google Search Tip

I'm so proud to report that I just uploaded my very first video to YouTube.com. How appropriate that it's a video on a Google search strategy! I don't want to ruin the surprise, so just press play to see the results of my first go at iMovie, Garage Band, and YouTube. Nifty!