Fuck Politics

Please excuse the very blunt title I've presented to you, but that's the mood I'm in. It's been a bad day everyone. Thank goodness for the little 10 year old male who came to the library looking for music by Eminem and Johnny Cash. He provided the chuckle I needed to finish the day at work.

Let's see here, what exactly happened today? I had the misfortune of finding out by accident that I did not get the job I wanted back in Kentucky. And, I could be seeing things that aren't really there, but I think politics had a part in why I didn't get the job.

I like my job here in Ohio. I don't care for Ohio, but I like who I work with and for the most part, the people who come to the library. But, a job opened up at a University in Kentucky for a Justice and Safety Librarian. The topic alone grabbed my attention. There aren't many specialized libraries in this particular subject matter, and I wanted it. I applied for the job, but I kept in mind that I don't come from an academic library background. I was really surprised when I had my first interview with the university. By telephone no less. Flabbergasted (did I spell that correctly) that I was offered a 2nd interview. This was an all day interview in which I had to give a 35 minutes (actually 45 minutes) presentation.

I talked with the Dean of Libraries who informed me there were over 100 applicants for this position and another open position combined, and I was one of three people asked to come to campus for the 2nd interview. They were looking for someone who was interested in the topic (hell, that was one of the main reasons why I applied) and not for someone just looking for a job. The search committee chair said she is still working on contacting the candidates' references. (Each person had three.) My 2nd interview was last Thursday, and they were going to decide early this week.

Imagine my surprise when I see this email come through my inbox...

"The good news is that Nicole has been offered and has accepted a
position
about which she is enthusiastic. She will be Justice and Safety
Librarian
at Eastern Kentucky University. Justice and Safety is one of the
colleges
at EKU, and its library is one of the branch libraries in the EKU
library
system. She'll provide instructional services and general reference.
The bad news is, of course, that we'll lose her; Friday April 14 will
be
her last day here. We'll start at once to look for a successor.
What a difference she has made in the 15 months or so she has been
Student
Affairs Officer. I've thanked her any number of times for coming to my
(and
the school's) aid, and I want to thank her again.
I know everyone joins me in wishing her well in her new position."
Dennis Carrigan

Now this D. Carrigan had no idea I would be seeing this email. This was sent to all the students on the Library School listserv, which I still happen to be apart of. He had no idea that I applied for the job, nor that I was asked for a 2nd interview.

One, I was hurt to find out this way, and to know who did get the job. I know for a fact that this Nicole has been searching for a job since she graduated from Library School. 15 months and she now has one. I can't help but think back to the conversation with the Dean of Libraries in my interview how they aren't searching for someone who is only looking for a job, but someone interested in the subject matter.

Two, I can only imagine the three people Nicole listed as her references. This Carrigan is the Assistant Dean of the only College of Library Science in Kentucky. She would have been crazy not to put his name down along with the Dean and other Library School professors on her resume. How the fuck am I suppose to compete with that?

Three, the search committee chair never checked up on my references. She talked with one. She and my current boss (and reference) kept playing phone tag. I know because my boss is truthful with me (and I didn't hear his phone ring.)

So, I'm pissed off. Rightfully so or not, I'm still pissed off. And hurt.

The Upcoming Class Reunion

My 10 year +1 high school class reunion is set to arrive in just a couple of months. I am glad to inform everyone that I will not be going. I have no intention of attending a reunion where I feel more people will be concerned on how better they are doing than everyone else. I graduated with a bunch of people who had the need to be better than the person they sat beside in Homeroom Class.

Technically there are probably only a handful of people I don't want to see, but knowing my luck, they will be there. And it will be enough to make my time there miserable. My mom seems to be more interested in knowing how my former classmates are doing than I am. What was that phrase she asked me the other night... "what happened to that guy I wanted you to date? what was his name, Kyle, Craig, Scott, etc...?" In my head I'm thinking, the guys names were Brian and Shane, and you know all about them.

The invitation included a questionaire to fill out in which my responses will go into a directory for our class. The one question that amused me was, "What is your funniest memory of high school?" (I talked this question over with my sister, I need help with the answer.)

"Don't you have a memory of someone falling down in gym class?" she asked me.

"Yeah, it was me." Yes, I had the nice fortune of falling face first on my stomach in gym class infront of Jeremy D., Travis U. and Jennifer L. After playing three different sports in high school, you'd think I would not trip over my own two feet to kiss the ground hard. Oh well.

Once I thought about it, I do have a favorite memory of high school. It was hearing that "good natured-never do anything wrong-look at me I'm great" Kellie G. was late to school because she was pulled over by a police officer for not stopping at a stop sign. (People didn't know her mean and evil side like I did. We spent 8 years playing sports together on the same team. I got to know her fairly well). Interstingly enough, she married a police officer who ended up trading sexual favors with women (or woman, sorry) that he pulled over on the road for law violations. Humm.

Show and Tell (1)

My latest creation. Completed last week. (The afghan, not the cat.)

I've been on a crocheting spree since about October. Five afghans were made for my friends and family during the Christmas season. Two for my sister and brother-in-law since I promised them one last year.

This is what I do when I'm bored. Most of the time at least; when I don't feel like going out, and I dont' feel like reading. My tastes in books are broad but nothing interests me these days. Some thing will come up. Last book I enjoyed was titled Poison Study by (I don't remember).

Turtle is in the picture (yes, that's his name) b/c he decided take a sit on the arm chair and look up at me. He just stares at me when he does that. As if I can read the minds of cats. I usually look at him and ask, "what are you looking at me for?"

I promise this crocheting librarian does NOT have birthday parties for her cat. I can't even remember how old he is. Four or Five?

Why I say "No" to Online Dating Services

I have just come across the 2nd Big reason why I don't put energy into online dating services. To me, there's a strange.... um what's the word for it? .... well let's just say strange things occur.

For some people, online dating is wonderful. Great. My sister is the prime example b/c she is currently married to the man whom she met online. (Yes, I was shocked when a year later they told me about meeting through Yahoo! Personals.) He turned out to be a good guy who I had previously met years before at college. Without knowing what was taking place, I let my sister know, "Yeah, he's a nice guy." Then what do you know, they meet, decide they could be good friends, and later I'm buying them a spice rack as a wedding gift. (I know what you're thinking, "A spice rack?! How boring! But at least it wasn't a toaster and it's what they wanted.)

On to my story, I happen to have a friend who can talk me into almost anything. Almost. An ice storm hit our town, her apartment was without electricity for a week, she stayed with me, and with her encouragement I'm setting up a personality profile through Yahoo Personals. (I thought I was completely off my rocker.) But, I needed to try something different besides going to school and working at the library. Something to add some spice. The profile was set and soon enough I was receiving instant messages from men reading my profile. Some were dorks. Some where okay. One happen to repeatedly ask, "Are you my soul mate?" Is that some sort of online pickup line?

Anyways, one evening, as we were watching television and I was doing some research on the internet I receive this one particular Instant Message... (I'm going to paraphrase here, but hopefully you'll get the idea.)

Him: how are you?
Me: fine. you?
Him: good. thanks.
(Lul in the conversations)
(I'm going to skip a bit here)
Him: i live in (city name here).
Me: me too.
Him: i work at the library downtown

(Holy shit! that's not possible. I work at the downtown library. who is this guy?)

(Big looong pause on my part, which at this point I yell at my friend, he works at the downtown library. )

(As your probably know, the library profession is dominated by females, not many males worked at he downtown library.)

("what should I say?" I ask my friend. The reply was a nice shrug. No help ofcourse.)

Me: I work there too. (Did I just tell him that?)

(Long pause on his part)

We decided to chat and not talk about the library. Basically because if we gossiped or said something about someone, we could have been talking about the person we are actually talking too. We talked about movies. A safe topic.

For the next week my mind is racing as to who this person is. We didn't tell each other our names. My friend and I were going through each male at the library. (We both worked there.)

For four days, I was going to school and going to work trying to figure out who I chatted with. I went through every name I could think of: Dan, Bobby, Patrick, Scott, etc.... I came up with nothing. Then one day I pass by Matt on the way to one of the desks on the Reference Floor. "Holy shit! It's Matt. Oh my goodness, it's Matt!!!. I thought. I wanted to die right there.

Not only did we work at the same library. Not only did we work on the same floor. We often worked at the same desk together!!! And let me tell you something ladies and gentlemen, he only has a personality if he's talking about movies. He earned a degree in geography by correspondance (how is that possible?) I had to do everything in my power to have a conversation with him. Nothing worked unless the topic was movies. Every thing else what monotone, one or two syllable answers. "Yeah. I know. Sure." And that was from asking open ended questions.

I never spoke to him about it, and he never mentioned anything to me. As if it never happened.

The second incident happened just thirty minutes ago. Once again with my friend's encouragement I filled out a profile for eharmony.com. (this profile was filled out towards the end of 2004). What it came down to was this, my friend has signed up for this and she wanted me to experience it so we can talk about it. I don't know if she really had hopes for me to find someone through this. What can I say, I'm a good friend.

I didn't go far with this. Which isn't a problem with me. I wasn't upset with it. My friend on the other hand, she actually went on a date with someone through eharmony.com. The date didn't go well, and I could have told her it wouldn't just by the desciption of the man she was meeting. I let her figure things out by herself. My profile is still up and running (a year later) and matches continue to pop up. Today was the first time I looked at my account in over 9 months (or more). I was bored. Browsing through the internet. I thought, sure, let's look at it.

Not surprisingly there were plenty of "closed" matches because I didn't reply to any of them. And these were matches made back in October 2005. I was looking through the names and location of some of the matches. Then all the sudden one caught my eye...

Dwayne (Maysville, KY)*

I know a Dwayne from Maysville, KY. Is that who I think it is?

• age 26
• occupation technology

That was all I needed to know. I knew who it was. Confirmation was made complete when I read the profile. This was the brother of my best friend. The best friend who encouraged me to make a profile to eharmony.com. Oh my goodness! Does he know? Did the name and location ring a bell to him? Please tell me his mind was too focused on his computers and X-Box to pay attention.

He closed the match with the reason... "I'm pursing other relationships...."

Yeah, and her name is Mandy.* (My friend has told me who he was interested in, but from the last report, there is no chemistry between them. No spark. Well, he will always have the X-Box.)

Just incase you are wondering. I have met Dwayne before. He, his sister and I went to a haunted house one year. They have a thing for haunted houses, though he is petrified to be in a cemetery. (My friend and I happen to love cemeteries for some strange reason.)

So that's that. What strange circumstances I happen to come across.

*Some names have been change to protect the identity of people.

Just my opinion...

I've been paying attention to the news about the Muslim anger over the Muhammad cartoon. A Denmark paper displayed a cartoonish like figure of Muhammad wearing a headdress in the shape of a bomb. Jordian and French newspapers have reprinted the cartoons and it seems all hell is breaking loose. Many Muslims are angry, burning Denmark flags, boycotting Danish products, and etc... (I've been reading the BBC news online, so look there if you want more information, or some other news place if you like.)

I'm going to sound incredibly mean when I say this but, "Boo hoo." Jesus Christ has been mocked for years. Though I admit I'm not the best example of a Christian, I believe Jesus Christ to be my Savior who died and rose from the dead, and I have to witness people mocking Him everyday. There are plenty of people in this world who don't agree with my faith. They find it to be silly, close-minded, and unfounded, and they poke fun at it. That doesn't give me the right to act in hate towards those people. Infact, if I do what the Bible says I ought to do, it should be just the opposite. Show love and compassion.

Earlier tonight I was thinking about all the times the name Jesus Christ is said in vain. (It's a big no-no for Christians). Or how about hearing the phrase "God d*mnit." It's said all the time. Television will bleap out the word "fuck" but not "God d*mnit." (I'm using the * because I don't like saying those two words together in a phrase. I know it's strange, I'll say "fuck" but not "God d*mnit." Don't worry, I rarely ever say it. ("Fuck that is) I mostly say "damnit" when I'm mad.) My best friend when on a rant one day about the entertainment industry using the G-D phrase all the time. How could I explain to her that there are plenty of people don't care about that phrase? Only to certain people is the G-D phrase a bad thing to say.

I've never heard people take Allah's name in vain. I'm trying to imaging hearing it... "Allah Damnit." Hmmmm? I don't think it has a "ring" to it. Or if you happen to hit your toes against the bed post would you yell in pain, "Muhammad!"?

I may have to try that some day.