I feel like I haven't really done a good job of keeping up with current events lately. I guess most of it comes from the fact that I was on vacation when most of the outrage regarding Hurricane Katrina began, but I feel a little out of the loop. But I managed to read the New York Times today -- I've got a Sunday subscription -- and things became a little clearer. And basically, when I'm done writing here, I'm going to donate some money to the Red Cross and the ELCA's Domestic Disaster Relief.

I have actually been to New Orleans back in 1997 for the ELCA National Youth Gathering. Unfortunately, the event, in my opinion, wasn't that great, so my memories of New Orleans are pretty limited. Mostly I remember it being hot -- but the food was so fabulous. And it was just very different than anywhere I had ever been before. And now I think it probably won't be the same any more. And not that that's a bad thing -- but I guess it just shows how the world is always changing.

Yeah, so! Enough of that heavy stuff. Let's move on to fluffy things. The agenda for today -- lots of new books, work (as always), and my weekend.

So, let's start with my weekend. Cupcake and I had a girl's night last night that went pretty darn well. We ended up having three other librarians over and we just talked about stuff -- work and boys and bad Internet dates and it was really good. Plus we have a TON of brownies. I mean, two of them brought brownies. Plus ice cream and cake. I had cake for breakfast this morning. (Laugh if you will, but seriously, is it any worse than a doughnut or a muffin? Probably not!) A. is relatively new to the library, so that's why we probably talked about work more than usually, but it's always fun to share the gossip -- especially on the different couples. Hee.

And today is Sunday and I made it church this morning. I haven't done too much else -- I've started quilting the quilt that I finished last week, but I'm just not motivated to finish it. Despite the fact that the woman I am making it for is due (it's a baby quilt) in like two weeks! Oh well, I know where she lives so I can always bring it over after the baby is born. My big excitement for today was going to the grocery store! Whoooo! I lead an exciting life!

Work has seriously picked up. A lot of it probably comes from the fact that I only worked three days this past week, but I had to get ready for a presentation for tomorrow -- I'm actually working on it at home a little. Just writing an outline of what I want to cover -- nothing serious! I dislike bringing my work home with me, so this is pretty much the most I would ever do. Oh! There is good news though -- I now have a mentor! Yes, a woman at work who's been at the library for around six years has offered to help me with planning and setting goals and just really, really being awesome. T. said that she's actually looking forward to helping someone figure things out because she never got any guidance when she started. So! That is quite exciting. And we go out to lunch together.

Okay. Time for fun with books. I have been busy lately, but I still have managed to knock out four more.

78. Never Let Me Go (9/2) by Kazuo Ishiguro. This book was recommended to my by a young adult librarian friend and I honestly didn't really enjoy it all that much. It was interesting, but a bit science fiction-y, but yet at the same time not really. It's almost a book you have to read in order to understand what I mean, but it's about a boarding school in England and the lives of the students. However, these aren't ordinary students. As the story unfolds, it becomes more clear what they are -- clones of regular people -- and yet they are kept away from the real world. The story actually fits the typical growing up in a boarding school -- kind of like Prep or A Little Princess but not at all, really. Basically, I really need to re-read the ending again -- I finished it in a hurry while at work. But I just read it because I felt like I had to. Plus I kept thinking, it's got to get more interesting. But I was never really drawn into the narrative.

79. Dreaming in Black and White (9/5) by Laura Jensen Walker. Now, when I first picked this up, I thought, 'Wow! A chicklit novel about a girl who loves movies. Awesome!' Indeed, that is pretty much what it is about -- however, she goes to church and belongs to her church's singles group. (Also, she thinks being Lutheran is boring. Maybe she hasn't been to the right Lutheran church because we totally rock the potluck!) So that adds a different dimension to the story. But it's a quite enjoyable story about a girl who ends up moving back home after her job gets downsized at the newspaper. Romance ensues and there are innumerous references to classic film. I thought that I enjoyed classic movies and referenced them quite a bit in real life, but apparently, I still have a lot to incorporate into my real life. There is a sequel coming out soon -- Dreaming in Technicolor, which I will definitely be looking for to see what happens to our herione, Phoebe.

80. Happiness Sold Separately (9/7) by Libby Street. Yet another cheesy chicklit novel, but this one seemed a cut above most of them. Although, it's about a girl trying to get her career life and love life together in New York City when the ex-boyfriend from college shows up. Fairly entertaining and definitely distracting.

81. A Garden in Paris (9/10) by Stephanie Grace Whitson. Yet another book that I had no idea would be a little Christian in its pusuasion, but it was still a very good book. I don't know why I need point out books that are Christian, but I guess it's because I don't read them generally. But this one was good. Mary is 50 and widowed and has finally decided to take back her life. Despite her domineering daughter, who softens up over the course of the novel, she decides to go back to Paris and meet her old French boyfriend on Christmas eve. You can't really go wrong with the story of multiple relationships set in Paris! And, there's a sequel coming out soonish.

So, I should go donate money and get back to work.