Librarian Movie!: Party Girl (1995)

Party Girl is a blast from the nineties that is quirky and super funny.  This movie is full of a variety of characters from the uptight godmother librarian, to the Lebanese lover, to the gay friends, the crazy alcoholic, the brutish English boyfriend, the wannabe dj… it’s got everything!  And then there’s the stylish main character Mary, played by the beautiful Parker Posey, who finds herself in the midst of librarians, partiers, and parties while trying to find herself and pay her rent.

 

If you’re interested in movies about libraries and librarians this is a MUST SEE!  And even if libraries aren’t your topic of interest this movie is still super hilarious and can be enjoyed by a large audience.

Genre:  Independent Quirky Comedy 

Age Recommendations:

• Really this is an adult film (Rated R).  Ages 16 + may enjoy the film as well but it’s up to parents to decide whether or not it is appropriate for their child’s viewing.
• This movie does include brief nudity, drugs, sex, and bad language. 

You can currently stream this movie off Netflix.com so grab yourself a falafel, sit back, and laugh :D

QR Code & App for FindItGirl blog!!!!!

So this is super exciting!  I was reading other librarian blogs today when I stumbled across TheWikiMan and his post How To Turn Your Blog Into An App For iPhone.  He credits @gwynethjones The Daring Librarian with the tweet that lead him to this awesome technology.  Basically you go to this site: www.bloapp.com and you type in some information to verify your blog and you set up your app and QR code.  In order for others to download your app they must simply download the app for bloapp and can then either search for your app or simply scan the QR code to get your app.  And PS... it's free!  So yes there is officially an app for everything including your own blog!  How cool is that!

TheWikiMan aka Ned Potter explains How To Turn Your Blog Into An App For iPhone so rather than reexplain I encourage you to click on the link and visit his blog.

Happy Blogging :)

The Secret: The Power (2010) by Rhonda Byrne

The Secret: The Power by Rhonda Byrne

First sentence:

You are meant to have an amazing life!

Now that’s how I like to start a book!  Who wouldn’t want to have that told to them? “You are meant to have an amazing life!”  Man it just makes me feel good to read that one sentence.  And the feeling stays no matter how many times I read it.  And that’s what this book is all about:  feeling good!

The book is about the power of love and thinking positive.  Byrne claims that by feeling love and thinking positively you can have all that you want in regards to money, relationships, health, and life.  You attract what you want by thinking positive and loving what you want.

The book is simple to read and easy to understand.  Quotes by famous people of all walks (Nikola Tesla, Jerry Spinelli, Martha Washington, Jesus, etc) are included and scattered throughout the book to further support Byrne’s claims.

A few mini topics that she covers that I found interesting were:

Water healing (pg 205-206) - the idea that by sending positive words and energy into water can actually change the structure of the water.  If you are interetsed in this I've read another book on the topic called Water Crystal Healing: Music and Images to Restore Your well-Being by Masaru Emoto that comes with music and beautiful images of, essentially, snowflakes.  Very intriguing and uplifting.

Marital Problems (pg 174) - the idea of being happy despite problems and loosely the idea of unconditional love towards your partner despite problems.  Another book that I am interested in reading which also discusses unconditional love is called The Love Dare by Alex and Stephen Kendrick.

And a bigger topic that she covers that I found interesting was:

Money (pg 148-169) – I particularly enjoyed reading this section about making money stick to you and receiving more money!  Who wouldn’t like that!  Also, if you are interested in reading more about receiving money you can go to Byrne’s website and download The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles for free.

I also love the section on money because it discusses doing what you love in life and not taking on a career you don’t love just because you think it will bring in more money.  It is always reaffirming to me to hear this because I really want to be a librarian, a job some say will not bring in money, and worse some say you wont get a job!  But this book teaches me to follow my passions and dreams and that only through following what I love will I bring in money.  (Which makes sense.  I believe, like Byrne, that there is a power in what you love that when used can propel you to the top.)  Hence, I will be a successful librarian and I will bring in lots of money!

This is only a very small sampling of the multitude of topics Byrne includes in her book.  You will have to read the book to see how many ways having The Power can make your life wonderful!

Recommendations:

I would recommend this book to people of all ages.  Certainly anyone 15 years old and older can enjoy and learn from this book.  And the philosophies and lessons garnered from this book could be taught to children.  I know as for myself I will teach the power of love, positive thinking, and the laws of attraction to my own children.

I definitely recommend this book for anyone who has been feeling down and needs a little boost in life.

Just a few notes:

·      I read this book in two days and if I had had more time I could have read this in a matter of hours.

·      It’s not a prerequisite to read The Secret by Rhonda Byrne before reading this book.

·      The book itself is beautiful and small.  The pages are smooth and filled with color.  This book feels great to hold in your hands and would make a great addition to anyone’s house.

·      And for the skeptics out there, even if you don’t buy into the theories of this book you have to admit… it couldn’t hurt in most situations to have a positive outlook in life :)

HappyReading!

Finding the Future: Inside NYPL's All-Night Scavenger Hunt | Cover Story

Finding the Future: Inside NYPL's All-Night Scavenger Hunt | Cover Story

Dandelion Wine (1957) by Ray Bradbury

Amazon

Every time summer approaches I feel my hands reach out for this book.  With this book Ray Bradbury has plucked up summer memories and stories, has bottled them and left them to ferment all these years for the readers of today to drink up its golden splendor.  Really though, every sentence of this book is like taking a sip of golden honey summer.  Although it is one work of fiction you can really read this book as a collection of stories which is also what is so delicious about it.  On a lazy summer day I find myself flopping on the couch, listening to the cicadas, and reading slowly a tiny section of this book.  It's not to be rushed!!!  It's to be enjoyed long and slow and lazily like the best summer day.

The stories take place in the summer of 1928 lending it to be a very nostalgic book.  It leaves you yearning to try out what simpler times were like.  It leaves you wanting to make your own pie from scratch, wanting to just sit out on your porch at night and wave to your other neighbors on their porches.  The story focuses on Douglas, a twelve year old, and his little brother Tom, a ten year old.  Throughout all that happens this summer both Douglas and Tom learn many life lessons and of course so does the reader.  This book is ultimately about family and neighbors and people and the funny things people do and just when you think this book is tame it jumps out and surprises you and reminds you that its genre is Science Fiction after all!

I first read Dandelion Wine when I was seventeen.  It was assigned to me as summer reading by a wonderful teacher, named Mr. Keck, before entering my senior year AP Literature class.  Although I didn't appreciate the text then as much as I do now I still believe this is an excellent book for young people to read.  I would even read this to my own children as young as twelve.  I also believe this to be a book that can truly be appreciated at any age and I am confident that in my eighty's and ninety's I will still look forward to the beginnings of summers when my hands will again find this book to reread it and take yet another sip of its golden honey prose.

Happy Reading!

The Calm and Quiet... Before the Storm (I’ve been accepted into an MLIS program)

So I sit here quietly at my desk.  My certificate of admission granting me access into one of the top MLIS degree programs in America at my side and I am quiet.  I found out that I got in two days ago, when I got home at 1:30 am from the airport (after accompanying my husband on a business trip in the South West).  And it hasn’t been till now that I’ve actually allowed myself to sit down and let it sink in.  I haven’t checked the “yes, I will attend” box yet.  It seems too magnificent a gesture to do just yet.  Because by checking off that box will change my life.

            There are definitely a few concerns to consider before checking yes.  One is, where will I get the money?  The program will take about three semesters to complete and will cost around twenty thousand dollars.  Will I manage to get a few scholarships? or at least a loan?  Will I be able to work while pursuing the degree?  Do I continue to take Italian on the side?  How will the workload of being a grad student affect my life and relationships?  Is this degree worth twenty thousand dollars?  How hard will life get until I get this degree?  Can I be successful working as a librarian?  And the worst question of all… what happens if I am unable to get a library job when I get out???

            It might seem odd that after years of saying “I should have been a librarian” and after creating a blog, a tumblr, and a twitter account and after going through all the effort to apply to grad school that when I finally get accepted I am not outwardly bursting with joy; I am not screaming, jumping up and down.  Instead I am quiet and calm.  Instead I am pondering.  You may wonder why the title to this post isn’t I GOT INTO LIBRARY SCHOOL!!!!  Believe me there are rumblings inside of me that are screaming that, but I want to be honest.  And as awesome that it is that I got into grad school it is a big decision to make and I want to make sure that I give it the complete attention it deserves.  Because when I want something and when I decide to go for something, I am all in 110%.  So I have to ask myself just a few more questions:  Am I ready to fight the good fight?  Am I ready to fight for what I want?  Am I willing to fight for what I believe in?  Am I willing to fight for the life I deserve?  Am I willing and do I have the courage and do I want to be… A LIBRARIAN!

            I have wanted this for a long time and various reasons have held me back, now I am the only person who can possibly hold me back.  I think about the years that I have fantasized about being a librarian, I think about the moments I pretended I was already a librarian.  I think about all the librarian job searches I have put into google.  I think of the books, articles, and blogs I’ve read about librarians.  I think of how I try to surround myself with all things library in the digital world.  I look to my vision board and see pictures of books and librarians from movies.  And then in the center of my vision board I see the best advice that one could ever bestow:  FOLLOW YOUR HEART.

            And my heart knows.  My heart knows there is no other way.  I must be a librarian.

Congratulations!  I have just been accepted into Grad School!
Yes, I will attend!
I am now a Future Librarian!

Up (2009)

I am embarrassed that it took me this long to finally see this amazing film!  Up is Uplifting!  Fun!  Beautiful!  Creative!  And comes with a powerful message!  I generally don't watch PG rated or children's films but if there are more like this I may have to add the genre to my repertoire.  In the middle of winter when it may seem like spring is a long way away this movie will bring you COLOR!  If for nothing else I would watch this film for the beautiful, colorful scenes.  This is also a film that can be enjoyed by all ages 5 to +105!

Just to give you a little background.  The movie is about an old man out to realize a lifelong dream, however he picks up a few unexpected side kicks along the way and meets unexpected adventures.  This movie is about life and gives important life lessons for old and young.  You may need a tissue for this one, but don't worry there are plenty of giggles and good feelings in store!

Also, as of now, you can watch Up instantly on Netflix so please go, sit back, relax, and enjoy of wonderful film!

PS:  You will absolutely fall in love with these characters!