Linking Books and they circulate...

First batch of books finished and moving out in circulation today, another book cart full going through processing, another cart unboxed and preparing to move into processing and four still to be opened boxes of books to go. Maybe, if everything works well I can get everything done by next Friday. Turned in my Fire Extinguisher and First Aid Kit Report for the month, now I have the library reports to email to the Gang of Three (Go3). Our special Interlibrary loan system for the Camps came back up on line today, so I know there are others out there as I see their replies to the requests. Looking forward to the book budget figures, since it was cut by fifty percent I will have to be tighter than I really am, more paperbacks and less latest of favorite authors, which always come out in hardback first.

As we start processing the materials the favored few show up to see what they HAVE TO HAVE FIRST, don't play well with others and you want to know why some of these patrons should stay here? Because they don't play well with others.

Work week is waiting for my attention...

I rolled up some coins, $12.50 worth, and will deposit them in the Credit Union savings, wrote a check for my wife and her household maintenance, paid the internet service charge and telephone bills. I have stimulated the economy, and I update the last month of my wife's Savings account and our family worth in cash is a couple thousand over our debts, we can breath. Amazing how intelligent the Federal government is on sneaking a little extra back into our pay checks. And Applebee's has 2 for twenty, which is almost exactly what the freeing up of my income tax with-holding were... if we liked them better we might have dined there yesterday.

Is there any hope of the government making that with-holding deduction reduction permanent? No, they aren't that smart, the media is going to attempt to convince them that they need to save the Mexicans and children of America from Assault Weapons (again?). But this is the same America that continues to buy more than the CMP can process, another warning thank you for too much business and lowering inventories this weekend. I feel so unprepared for shooting much this month, but I think I only get to shoot one more day live for record, two days of teaching coaching (Appleseed 18-19th), four days of supportive observation (BOOMERSHOOT!). Best I be doing a lot of study, drills and maintenance on the firearms. Be good for all the best reasons.

Well, we can start over, can't we?

Now, most of the people I know aren't completely overwhelmed by Bush's and Obama's Economic Crisis. Tulips just aren't that critical to most of our fortunes, so contracts for tulip bulb potential values aren't going to sink us when the Federal Government decides not to honor them nor subsidize them. Honest, and when my wife and I decided to buy a home (in every one of the five we have owned over thirty-seven years of marriage) we never bought one that I couldn't manage to pay the mortgage insurance and taxes and still buy food and utilities and clothing from my income. I also never thought of my home as my retirement income (reverse mortgage) nor as potential for borrowing against the ever increasing value of the home (have lived in too many homes that didn't increase in value - one is always enough for me). I don't know what my credit score is, I don't care, if you don't want to lend to me - then we are in agreement, cause I have only enough time left on this side of Paradise to pay off what I owe now, not some new debt (no, I am not supporting the debt of foolish Congresses and Presidents). Because I have been observing that Americans are supposed to live well above their means, to borrow and pay back forever (according to the commercials on television, and the infomercials, the current situation comedy - daily dramas and Oprah). My truth is that I have to be responsible and pay my way, I expect y'all will, too.

Now, that fine looking country over there, los Estados Unidos de América,(that has been blamed for selling all those guns to the Mexican Drug gangs, and buying all their drugs), that country is going to have a real problem living as high as they have been. Borrowing money on income they don't have and squandering what they have so they can do less and live largely lazy watching idiot boxes telling them how to be younger and beautiful and sexy. I see a bunch of debts coming due, needing to raise their credit limit and having to pay higher interest to borrow to pay off current debts and operating costs, and people and businesses going elsewhere for opportunity - instead of the land of higher taxes and more regulations and imprisonment and fines. Oh, you think you can sell this "I know what is best for you and you will do it my way or the highway!" I won't buy it, I have lived elsewhere, and I can again. Anyway, it will be interesting to see America fold to the pressure of their bankers (foreign nations of different values and opinions) to be perceived as a strong independent superpower (trying to stay ahead of the Chins, Li's and Saudis?).

And is it only I that see the terrorizing bubble-headed budgets that the Presidents have been playing with and proposing being an indication that even the government is going to live far beyond its means? I mean, if the President were serious he could rent those other rooms in the White House, charge more for his signature and photo opportunities and have special days at the mansion like they do at the ball fields and football stadiums. He could get his own bullet proof vest and concealed weapon and allow the Secret Service to go back to finding the counterfeiting criminals. But then where I would find a second job or start a business to add income in a personal family economic crisis, or all the adults and almost adults would get work or do more in the home and 'chip in' to make all the ends meet for our lives and our dreams - well, I guess some people just go out and party larger and harder, and hold up signs saying they will work for food while hoping to get a twenty in pity. What were they thinking, or weren't they?

I am too hard on the GOOD INTENTIONS of the people representing me in government, because I don't have faith that they will pay the price for their mistakes, they really expect me to pay the price - cause I am just that good a guy.

Well, because I am who I am, a quick story update about the prison library. The fellow I banished from the library for his behavior, the one that tried to kill me with my own bad blood pressure, tried to start some fights with my workers and was such a pain the Corrections Officers made sure he got his medications and was put in solitary for his security and everyone else's peace of mind. Yeah, the one I picked three special books for him to read while he was there and the information he had been looking for the night before. That guy walked up to my counter in the library and said that he wanted to say he was "Sorry". He had just been released from his two weeks in the Hole and was making things right. So we talked a little about why he was acting that way (drugs and fright flight) and how he was doing now. My big question was did he get the books I had picked especially for him, he had and he proudly told me that he read them all. Works for me!

I shouldn't go to work today, stimulous is in the way.

I guess one of the things I like about growing up was my independence from my father's pay check, and managing my own money, making my own way. There were a couple times I was a bit short - and asked for help, and quickly paid him back. It was really great when I could see far enough into the future to manage my mortgages, auto loans, credit cards (not really as good on that as I could be). Nice thing about being responsible, of course, I will miss out on the extra money the government is going to reward the needy.

When we finished the tax filing for 2008, I was amused to find that my wife and I had donated more money to others in charities than we paid in taxes to the Federal government. Although I think the total tax picture (adding fuel taxes and other ones from state and county) might get them closer to even, how much tax is on ammunition?

I guess I don't really mind the government helping feed the hungry, cloth the naked, and shelter people from the weather. But isn't this the same government that can't get HDTV working on schedule? Yes, I am on HDTV, but that was because I don't need the assistance to get there, just the day and the hour - Sony and Comcast love folks that want wrestling in HD - have you seen any wrestling lately? the fireworks and fakes are more colorful for sure. Sorry, if you can't enjoy it because the government was supposed to assist your transformation to the Twenty-first Century. Maybe after the War on Drugs, the War on Terror and the HDTV problems you understand why I am certain (absolutely!) that the government has no idea how to fix an Economy - the one I live and work inside. Well, the government intentions are good and the Divas do look hot in the ring on HDTV, but it ain't wrestling. Smackdown tonight!

I do remember that one of the points of a campaigning Senator Obama was the endless war in the Middle East. Bush's War, but now that President Obama has increased the troop strength by 17,000 it is Obama's War. What is the purpose? What is victory? What is the price to that purpose and victory? And why if the military thought 30,000 was the Afghanistan Surge numbers, are only 17,000 being sent? If we drop five million unemployeed Americans on Afghanistan we can transform the entire country. That was one of my ideas for winning in Vietnam, too. Just bring all the unemployed of America to the war zone and it would change everything... but we wouldn't have HDTV on schedule, would we?

Hibernation ended here today...

I have to get out there and stimulate the economy. Sure fuel prices have been creeping back up, still I had to cut the lawn and get rid of the leaves, attack the moss, stomp on the mole hills before they become mountains. And I know why bears are grumpy when coming out of hibernation, they go twist the wrong way when whacking a tree with dead bees and no honey, and they hurt their back, that's why. I was going to exercise gently and then go shoot, but responsibility got in the way. The yard looks a bit better, and after my left-over lunch (which I carefully ate around the rice and potatoes) my wife says she will take me out to dinner tonight - some pagan ritual probably - never know about Korean Baptist ladies.

I ironed my shirts and pants last night while watching men and women in a bit more than nothing dance and jump around the squared circle charming the chumps (yes, I was one paying attention - looking for the famous Ranger Chokehold), anyway, about my shirts and pants - it is time to buy replacements. Shirts, long sleeve, button down collar, size 16 1/2 33-35, color white, light blue or french blue, 100% to 80% cotton (six of them). Trousers, Dickies work trousers with cellphone pocket on right leg, reinforced knees, color steel or silver - but not white nor gray, 34 x 32, (six of them). That should help me look better, get my wife off my back a bit, and stir that economy. Those new shoes I bought, the Teva ones with the spider on the heel are very nice - one more pair of those. I also want a pair of Carhartt Duck Bib Overall to wear when I go shooting, seems some folks don't want the militia movement cammo worn and I have this weight and belt problem making my sitting shots bounce with my surging pulse beat. Love having a beating heart, just don't want the compression of my fat against the arteries to affect my shooting. Speaking of shooting and the economic stimulous package...

In the home are five clips of eight rounds of 30-06, and four loose rounds in the grab and go ammo can (.22 also but I never count them). In the Caravan are eighteen clips of eight rounds of 30-06, and sixteen rounds in a box, in one ammo can, and sixteen boxes of 30-06 (20 per box) and one box of Federal 30-06. Hardly enough for the depth of the Depression and Uncivil Disturbances about to show up at my front door. Nor is it enough to punch all the paper and steel targets I need to practice upon to get better at this American Rifleman position I aspire to... So I figure about five hundred dollars to CMP will get me about 1384 rounds of 30-06 in the ammo cans - with a give or take on the shipping costs. A couple more bricks of .22 would be good, the .45 APC and 9mm Luger are enough until I start shooting them for competition (never: too old, too slow, too un-needed - you know why men want bigger guns). Anyway, there are another hundred rounds of 30-30 and of 30-06 for the hunting rifles, and all kinds of bird shot and slugs for the shotgun.

Well, too much possibility of rain to wash the Caravan, although after a bit of reading I may sneak out and grease the chain on the motorcycle, bring the tires up to pressure if they aren't and prepare for sunshine riding on the Trusty Triumph, so much to do and only so much of me.

Saint Peter! don't call me for I can't go...

I owe my soul to the Company store. What is it about listening to the good Reverend say: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!" that drives me to pay my bills, reconcile my accounts and post my Quicken -- and then know that Tennessee Ernie Ford had me pegged before I was old enough to vote? One fist of iron and the other of steel, if the right one don't get you then the left one will... yeah, sure.

Getting ready for tax time, and clearing the paper clutter, trash day is tomorrow, and although I am sure if I die before I wake - my wife has all my assets and insurances to cover everything I owe, but if I don't die then I am going on loading that number nine coal, forever... about that high toned woman - slipped right by me, didn't notice her, no wonder I am so broken.

Well, it will all be better in the morning, I don't think I am directly paying a 150 million for the party in Washington, DC. I know I am not invited, I am still carrying a weapon or two, and I do have to go to work to pay the bills, taxes and prepare for the worst. No one is bailing me out. No one has read the 2nd Amendment the way I did, so they made all these laws and regulations to infringe upon my Right. Silly people, hold that regulation up in front of you next time someone points a firearm at you - if the Law is several pages thick it might work.

Procrastination will kill me, but I am not ready yet...

Doing my bills this morning, as I try to correct the yaw in my course - and I look at my annual percentage rate on one of my credit cards... yikes! I am paying that much! Take the beautiful card out, get the stainless steel scissors out and cut that bad boy into bits. Step one taken, sigh. No wonder there is a credit crisis - who could pay that much for so little -- besides me. Nevermind, the workday awaits and I have to exercise more than my checking account.

How to Destroy a Library

Libraries have always been part of my life, I find them full of things I want to know about, think upon and stories to enjoy . They insure that I am continually learning, long after departing the classroom, and they have always supported the quest for knowledge about fighting, loving and foolishness unique to my life. Since I am not the only patron to use the library I would say that for my tax dollars the public library achieves more than the public school system in education, far beyond the K through 12 range. Imagine Lincoln, Douglass, Jefferson and others that valued the printed words with the library systems of our last one hundred years.

Ignorance is destroying our libraries, the people that think they can steal the whole book, CD or tape don't understand the worth as part of a shared collection. I have been weeding the collection at McNeil Island's library of all the books that are missing pictures, pages and sometimes whole chapters. To the one individual that took something away from us all - a curse on your efforts for evil - not that I am a cursor. I don't need to be - in your little world things are stolen from you, you live in fear of being found out. You know the reason you want those pictures of scantily clad elves is because you are attracted to desires for the bodies of children - that is an ugly thing and most of the other inmates will do bloody things to you if they find out. No, you don't need to be cursed for your life is dark, the hidden pictures of beautiful cars, women and motorcycles that you think give you power are just waiting for the corrections officers to find or for you to toss out when the fear finds you again. I know that you won't stop messing up your library, stealing from it and ruining it - not until you grow up and learn to value things you haven't had to pay for, that don't cost you anything directly, until you grow up and learn to share, until you get really old and accept that others will get better people around them in life, and that you will die alone because you never became a better person. You will be back to the library that you have profaned and marred, and those wounds you left don't heal - there isn't enough money for repairing the Vandals' destruction.

Another type of ignorance that destroys libraries, is budget cutting. So having worked in libraries for over fifteen years, the fears of the staff always focus a bit on the budget cycle. There are only so many dollars, and one can hire five people at thirty thousand a year and only one at one hundred and fifty thousand a year. Which is fine if the the big payroll provides more donations and bequests and improvements in how the library provides services and relevance to the community needs. Having been one of the five on budget cuts while there are always well paid leadership and management - leading and managing less every time the budget is cut - I have my opinion. Seems that I have voiced my opinion and shocked some of that leadership a bit before - but I blame that on not being well led and stress relief. Budget is exactly like diet - a word that exists to describe a process and quickly becomes associated with an uncomfortable process that hurts something in one's good life, but if you had always known and observed the process - and lived in moderation - the pain would never be there. But when one has over-reached in spending, the cut back comes and the staff is reduced, the hours shortened, the service slinks off into only a memory and an old fairy tale, until that final cut must be made - that closes the door to the library. Those doors don't ever seem to re-open, and another light in the lives of the library patrons old, new and future is extinguished.

Working a prison library, where there aren't too many lights for the most terrible population of prisoners, 1200 inmates with open time for only six hundred and sixty to have one hour a week, every week that the one Library Keeper is around to open the door five days. There are too many potential patrons that can't improve their minds, lives and futures. They will be coming one day to live with you - to become part of your community. Will they be better neighbors? Did they get a chance to learn what they hadn't before being imprisoned about working for a better life, making good choices and basic good manners? Or are you going to get the fools that still steal from library books, that don't share, that don't care and that only know how to scare?

No more credit? Delayed gratification rules...

I worked in high school, made enough money that I could buy a well abused Harley-Davidson as old as I was - seventeen years old. My father helped get it home and we tore it apart to rebuild it - he was flying corporate and could visit old Harley shops around the country and pick up parts - my only talent was sanding and removing old layered paint and holding stuff that needed two extra hands while a bolt was run in or through. It was one of the best things I was doing during those years, and it was with my Dad.

Funny, that threat of no credit to buy cars doesn't mean that much to me. My father bought his last car, used, and paid in cash I guess. His problem with the cost of the car wasn't the total price, what he had problems with was that it cost more than the home he and my mother lived in - inflation is an amazing thing. My first car was used, I was spending all my money on a new wife, not that we had a lot - I wasn't borrowing for that either, paid cash or waited to buy when we could afford it.

The thought of not having people trying to get me on a new credit card, a new car loan, and a new improved mortgage is wonderful. The idea that if I wanted to travel I would have to have a bunch of money in the savings account works well for my wife, she is going to her homeland next year to help rebury family, but it is all cash - she hates it when I borrow money.

Rumor from Asia, there was a general that took charge of his country, wanted to build it up like Japan had done after WWII. He went to America to get some financing, and the Democratic President said NO, there would be no money for dictators. Well, that was the rumor, and so the guy in charge went and gathered all the wealthiest men in his little country. He told them how much money they needed to come up with to start his industrialization program. They listened and thought about it, and then almost decided that they weren't going to find that money. But he was the guy in charge and rumor has it, that they weren't every going to leave that room if they didn't come up with the financing. So they put together a package and left the room and the industrialization began, and the exporting of talented people so they could send hard currency to the home country, the exporting of contractors, engineers, products and ships. They exported a couple of Divisions of military and gained cash from that. The economy grew and the country remade itself from sleepy agricultural to industrial manufacturing. Almost everyone wanted to own a business instead of working rice paddies. I knew he was in charge, but what amazed me was when he declared that rice straw couldn't be used for roofing anymore - they were a modern country and not that poor. So the straw came down and tiles, metal and other kinds of roofing went up. Yep, he was definitely in charge and transformed his country.

I am sure America is much farther along in the development cycle, and losing weight from our flabby self indulgence might be a very healthy thing. Forbes had a list of the 400 richest Americans, didn't it? How much are they going to pay to prop up the Banking industry? Much more than I can, I am sure, I am more consumer than investor. I will keep paying my bills and adding what I can to the Credit Union accounts so they can lend it out. If the man from Omaha can come out and invest money, I am sure some of those other names with too many dollars of worth could, too. Saving banks is a rich man's game, my job is saving my family.

I do know that a major Depression changed a whole generation into savers and 'do without' and 'make do' and pay cash. My grandmother wouldn't allow my grandfather the money for a new car, she was waiting until the bad times returned. Those that don't study History are doomed to repeat it. And for her, once was more than enough.

Promised bail out for Institutions, I got zero...

Went to the ATM and withdrew a Yuppie Food Stamp - a twenty dollar bill and found I have a negative balance in my account - HOW DID THAT HAPPEN! I thought the government covered all the bad paper out there by printing more, I should have tons of money. I know that one has nothing to do with the other, except that the government expects me, as a working tax payer, to cover their foolishness - because they give me a vote and then force me to put up with their stupidity, sigh.

I have one thing left to do in life, get ready to leave it, nothing I will do will make crooks better, stupids smarter, or the sky bluer (lucky that isn't in the hands of me nor the Federal Government) enjoy it while you can. Pay off remaining bills, consolidate our retirement savings in anything except Government bonds and financial institutions, enjoy free stuff with my wife and the love of my life (good that they are the same person). Simple goals for simple old man, hope it works out.

Fourteen and a half minutes to go...

Well, The News Tribune article about the Library I keep open showed up this morning. I am not a real librarian (MLS) to those that know, but am to those that want one and only get me. Nice picture, Mister Lui Kit Wong, you are even better than I anticipated - made me wish I was that nice looking guy in the picture. Brian Everstine hit the right note, and wasn't jarring in his report, you the readers may make up your mind about what could be done. My sister asked if I thought it would get more money from the legislature and I had to say no. There isn't more money, and the priority will go to more police and laws, I will keep working on one better reader at a time...

Since my last blog about reporting on me and my work will disappear when this gets posted I will note it again, since their site has been updated. From my telephone interview with Ms. Mudd -- a PDF file of an article in the OCLC "Western Trek" magazine. I mentioned being interviewed and page eight and nine are the result. One nice lady at church this morning actually wanted me to sign my picture, I got a good laugh out of that, only fourteen and a half minutes of fame to go, best get back to work on it.

Swelled head, helmet almost doesn't fit...

Work went well today, tomorrow I should be caught up. In the Email was a note with a PDF file of an article in the OCLC "Western Trek" magazine. I mentioned being interviewed over the telephone before. The article was the result, and since my Program Manager was needing some notice and support for her budget proposals she sent the word to the world of the Office of the Secretary of State for Washington State. Lots of positive feedback from Department of Corrections and from the State Library, and the Secretary of State Sam Reed himself. This seems to be the kind of stuff that makes Legislatures take notice and approve funds.

I also find my name on the WALE Conference Program - the 3rd session period - right after lunch and right into a nap, oh, I have to present don't I? Well, it isn't until the 3rd of October, 2008. My mother will be proud of me, now all I have to do is make my rough draft captivating! I do work in a prison don't I?

Cleaning up, the Procrastination pile...

I had about three months of Lotto tickets to check for winners. I have been buying tickets since 1994 and our arrival in Washington State. One ticket for Lotto and one for Quinto, twice a week. Yes, I do know that state sponsored gambling is the best form of taxation on the poor, it is always a punishment for the mathematically challenged, and it takes no skill to become a fool separated from his money on the false hope of untold riches, yes I do know. And I play anyway, seven cents on the dollar go to the store the machine is at, thirty-five cents goes to the State of Washington - and forget any promises that it was going to schools, education, school construction or other worthy programs a voter could get excited about - it will be in the General Fund and used anyway the current political leadership think it should be (because it was too much for the education system to absorb?)

They decided they needed more money - so they went with adding Mega Millions for a bigger prize in a combination of states, and they added one more daily drawing for Lotto and Hit 5 (which replaced Quinto since it sounded Mexican). Once I had them emailing me the winning numbers, so I could check immediately but that was in the days I was counting all my pennies and rolling them and adding them to the son's credit union account - the pennies and other coins from my jogs that I picked up. I don't count all the coins, not like the obsessed fool I was once, but I do still pick them up and roll them and put them in my credit union account. Another change is that I don't buy every ticket for every drawing, I just don't believe I will ever get the big one - it could happen but I don't have faith in the government's ability to randomly crown me King for a Day, or until they get their tax money and I squander the remainder. I just buy a ticket so I feel a part of the foolishness.

Anyway I am checking winners and putting the losers in the tax folder for off setting my big taxable winnings - if I ever win it. I end up with fifteen dollars won, and won't tell you how many losing tickets I put away except there were more than fifteen, by more than thrice. Since I am now aware of my failure to win at this benevolent government's game, I give the winning tickets to my wife for cashing in, that will put a smile on her face (even if I don't see it I will be happy in the knowledge). She will try to give me the money, I will tell her to keep it and take the two tickets she bought for the next drawing. We share well, even if money isn't the same for us in our minds or life.

Being semi-retired but working full time I can afford the foolish buying of Lotto tickets, but I wonder as I see people putting ten and more dollars into it and then decide it isn't my business and I should wish them well in all they do. For any that care, Mom, I still give more to the church in a month than I put in the Lotto tickets for the year, and I continue to fund my wife's IRAs and our lavish life style (okay, it isn't lavish but it is comfortable enough for our wants).

End of the Year (Fiscally speaking)

All the money must be spent by the end of June, and accounted for and don't disturb the fellows over there doing it. It is a lot of work. My part of it was spending the money budgeted smoothly over the ten months I was granted (two months belong to the accountants that I must not disturb), and I am close to where I should be. Explained to me several times during the last few weeks that my dollar amount granted was only a temporary figure and it could end up higher or lower - as the accountants worried at it. I was given a day to go Purchase Order Shopping, first amount was $1089.52 but by the time I made the telephone coordination it was $1122.00. The first time I went to the book store the manager wasn't in, and it was a wasted trip, so I went back to my library and worked on stuff that had piled up. I have procrastination piles at work as well as home, but my Program Manager has told me for years that it was okay not to get everything done each day and to have something left for tomorrow - hmm, they haven't been working with a military mission that says all equipment accounted for, cleaned and refilled and ready to roll back out - or you don't get to go to bed or back home until it is done, my habits are engraved on my work expectations.

Well, the shopping went well, since I had a long wish list for older books missing from series, favorite authors that we had worn the pages out for heavy circulation, some classics and music requests - get us more music CDs! In three hours I shopped and picked up and looked over and grabbed the final copy - kind of fun spending the State's money on my fancy - but then I did get many things I won't read, but that they will. It is an almost regular library I keep and reading will set one free, if only while he dwells in the world between the pages and his mind. I was rung up, and packed out and get a ten percent discount for bulk purchases of used books. Four big boxes on a hand cart and out to my Caravan, load it up, return the handcart and drive off to the Depot loading dock. I label the boxes "Library" and talk to the freight chief, he gets them put on the first truck for the ferry in the morning and I am done for the day. I missed the last ferry that could have gotten me to work an hour, so I took two hours off after calling my supervisor, who had been holding down the library while I was shopping.

The following day I report for work, and catch up on what I hadn't done the day before and take my whole four inmate crew down to the mailroom, and there are the boxes and two days of mail bins - work awaits and we haul it all back up the stairs to Control and into the library. I unload the boxes on a bookcart and hide it away - curiosity is terrible, and knowledge is power and a commodity on the inside my clerks have real work to do and fondling new books and CDs just isn't going to be done on this day. Next week we would start processing.

So I organized the books, and searched the internet for MARC records to download, I find a hundred and fifty of the items. I get the inmates to make call numbers and add genre labels as needed, stamp, barcode, date due slip and 3M security strips. I will wait on downloading the MARC until I have a clean day and can link all the items, since I must submit a report to the State Library about all the additions to the collection. Since I can't find everything, the British and Australian publications not always covered in my search areas I have to send those items off to Acquisitions for them to process and return to me with a MARC to link to, I am still waiting on two from April but it is all part of that end of Fiscal year clean up and account for all the dollars. I am receiving other material prepared for adding to the collection as they continue to process the small additions and stuff that was stuffed in the closets until they could get around to them. Twenty-four items and eight items and I have loaded them up and the patrons are already reserving some of them - everyone wants to be first for the latest Patterson or Vachss.

Well, keeping the library open and normal operations, plus adding the extra processing and accounting makes a busy day, but on Friday I will download and link and they will scan, check one last time, putting those special books on reserve and grabbing the ones they just can't wait to read (the best part of working a library is first dibs). From only a wishlist on Thursday, to an actual item in the collection for circulation on the following Friday, and I get to ride a motorcycle with a smile for a job well done and a great week's work.

*The picture is posed from last year's movement of the library - not from receiving new books...

End of March, Tax Time... procrastination defeated

Don't you know that once a year one has to account for being a successful citizen of the United States of America - and file your income tax return. Why do I feel like I am being punished for being able to take care of myself and my family? Why is it difficult to read the tax booklets and figure the tax owed? Why is it easier to pay for someone else to take all your documents (that you must provide) and file the return, and the government takes that cost from your income, but you couldn't charge yourself for doing the same service? Why do I have to pay the postage, isn't that a government function?

Well, I went with TurboTax, not realizing what it was now costing me for the special edition to account for the stock sales and such. Easier not to sell the stock, but it was interesting to watch it grow for all those years a little at a time and split and change value, did have one loser, most gained and the government wanted their cut, sigh. See the Communist countries didn't have to worry about that, there are other ways to mess with their people. Anyway, I answered all the questions, put in all the numbers, and could have done it with the forms from the local Library and a sharp pencil, but then would have worried that my mind is going - how do they want that added and subtracted and multiplied by what? It is done, a very cute motivational tool, the income tax due in the upper left corner, as you add income it gets larger, as you find deductions it gets smaller - that was cool. I do owe this year, but less than three hundred dollars. It will all be in the mail on Wednesday. Then again the wonderful magnificent government is going to send us money in May for being way too thrifty - should I invest it in Euros?

I have created a ripple in the Harmony of the Universe, I said something about money to my wife and she wants to question where it all went. The idea there was secret money, and that she can do so much better than I - well, I don't want to play that game any longer. She gets to start writing the checks, she needs to know how to do that anyway for when I am gone (how many tax years do I have left?) - I will go so much earlier when she finds out that the cost of her world is more than she knew. But I am only responsible for making her life that worry free, not for the price of things and the declining value of the dollar, I just have done that manly thing of grabbing the check and paying for those things she feels she has to have. That was wrong of me - the truth doesn't hurt, but it does shatter many dreams and desires, but adults don't live out fairy tales - they just go to the library and read them... one shouldn't get confused.

Update, Sunday evening, I went back over the income tax form, found some thing that didn't match my calculations and went back over and put the correct date relationship into the form and now I get a refund, that makes me feel better, but I do like the forms and booklet better than just the computer software - since it walks you through everything like you aren't awake and aware. But it was a solid program, I just didn't see what it was asking for properly and mark it correctly. Be sure you are correct, then verify.

Holes, how do you fill the holes, and who makes them

I blame budgets, Library budget reality - not enough money and something has to give. Often it is the staffing of the library, and then the hours and the days. So I was hired to work here at McNeil Island in 1998 and there were three Full Time Employees (FTE) one librarian and two paraprofessionals, open over sixty hours a week providing service the the inmates and staff. Then the Governor decided that the Washington State Library must die - to save some dollars or the internet had arrived and the State Library was no longer needed. So he cut the library out of his budget and snarled at the State Librarian who hissed back and arched her back. Okay, maybe not that simple but I was in the trenches not under the center of the State Capital.

The ensuing political fight made the WSL a part of the Office of the Secretary of State (of Washington) and still under limited budget because the Governor still hated us (for whatever reason). The Secretary of State and his henchmen came to visit the Library and see what kind of creature they had adopted, they looked and questioned and were briefed and looked and questioned and were briefed. Then they made some tough, hard decisions - because there wasn't any money in the Library, it had too many employees, books, services and couldn't be folded up and carried around lightly --- so being from timber cutting country they took a chainsaw to it and pruned wildly but with purpose. For political reality shakeup they cut all services to government employees, added services (at the Library) for all citizens of the State, weeded all the frivolous books from the collections, and all the staff books and serials from the branch collections (hoping to get the other Agencies to cough up money for services they once had for free). Although the branch libraries at the mental hospitals and prisons had excellent hours and circulation and were important - they aren't very visible and so they chain saw hit there deeply, first cut one staff, then on another swing cut it all down to one staff per branch. Not Michael Angelo's David but still looks like a bear, and functions like a State Library under constraint. Where I was, the branch was open about twenty hours a week with one full time staff and I was out of a job - after taking a half-time position under the first cut.

I survived, was given a full time position at the State Library down the highway and daily commute, the branches adjusted, the State Library built up a stronger alliance with people that love libraries and use them. By hanging around and long enough the position at McNeil Island opened again and I was allowed to take it, get more training and personally things were good, the State Library is still limping along - still feels under attack - PTSD anyone? Ten years after I was originally hired, there is still a branch library at McNeil Island and providing services to the inmates but not the staff.

Today I took a day off, to go and interview for a position at a public library - where I know they have struggles with budgets, with unions, with management, with City fathers on budget matters - and they still provide a wonderful service to the public, and my inmate patrons through Interlibrary Loan (ILL). Tomorrow I will walk to the dock, take the ferry ride to the island, open my branch and get back to important and not very visible library work with a underserved population - certainly not politically powerful, felons can't vote. If I took work at another library someone would eventually fill the hole, but not soon enough. There isn't an immediate replacement system for workers, only for executives... but I sleep well at night knowing I am needed. A square peg in a round hole is better than nothing in the hole to tie onto.