Questions

[dirtylibrarian]

In response to arasay.

Ask me 3 questions, no more no less. Ask me anything you want. Then, I want you to go to your journal, copy and paste this allowing your friends (including myself) to ask you anything. Then, I'll answer them.

Comments

[arasay.livejournal.com]

1. Why get married, instead of just living in sin?
2. When I was a kid, I told myself stories to get to sleep. Did you? What were they? (Sorry, that's a twofer).
3. Where would you most like to live in the world (assume money and career were no object - this is a geography question).

[dirtylibrarian.livejournal.com]

1. Why get married, instead of just living in sin?

Simple answer...Catholic mother. More complicated answer, I want to have a child, and I prefer to do so in a committed relationship. For all the flaws associated with marriage, I still believe in what it symbolizes, and that you can't underestimate the value of ceremony...and that for me, at least, this does symbolizes the sort of commitment I want for our child. It also is a goal of sorts, as in, if we are going to have a kid, we need to get certain things taken care of...and a wedding also symbolizes that those have been achieved (not that I plan to rush out and get preggers immediately...though I'd be lying if I said the old bio. clock wasn't a' ticking). Is that too babbley of an answer?

[dirtylibrarian.livejournal.com]

2. When I was a kid, I told myself stories to get to sleep. Did you? What were they? (Sorry, that's a twofer).

No...I was more of the read-until-you-pass-out sort of kid...often hiding the flashlight under the blanket, or when I was old enough to sleep with the door closed, switching the reading lamp off when I heard my folks approaching. I was an expert at faking sleep ;)

One thing I did do, that is a bit like storytelling, is that when I was having trouble falling asleep I would visualize channeling all my excess energy into the doorknob...where I could pick it up in the morning. How weird is that?

[dirtylibrarian.livejournal.com]

3. Where would you most like to live in the world (assume money and career were no object - this is a geography question).

I money were truly no problem, I think I would want live in many places, like for a year each...long enough to get a feel for the local culture, and an understanding for its people, to sample lots of local food, and see all the museums.

If I had to pick just one place, while I would like to try Japan out...I think it would be one of the big cities like New York, London, or Paris. Or maybe Seattle ;)

[riskofabsurdity.livejournal.com]

1. What's yr take on every teenage girl on LJ thinking their bisexual?
2. Worst thing ever to happen while at work in your library?
3. Most annoying thing in existence?

[dirtylibrarian.livejournal.com]

1. What's yr take on every teenage girl on LJ thinking their bisexual?

Hmmm...I would have to say my take is this. I'm one of those folks that believes sexuality is on a continum...there are a few almost completely straight people, and a few almost completely gay...but lots of gray area in between. And it depends a lot on how you look at things...glass half full or half empty...many folks who define themselves straight because they only desire relationships with the opposite sex, would admit to being bisexual if you asked what they sometimes fantasize about.

This continuum theory has become much more widely accepted. Ten years ago, every other college girl went through a "bisexual phase"...where they were defining themselves by the variety of their attractions. Now it has trickled down to teenagers.

But I think there is more to it than just that. I think embracing the title of bisexual gives girls a greater feeling of power over their sexuality than they otherwise feel. A regular straight teenage girl who embraces her sexuality is at great risk of being perceived as a "slut" (unless they keep it to one long term relationship). A bisexual girl, even if she doesn't have a sex life, is proclaiming that she has a sexuality, and she is willing to acknowledge it publicly. There is something subversive and powerful about that I think. They are saying if it came down to it, they don't need boys to be satisfied...which subverts the power structure of sex. And this is why boys don't come out as bi as often, because it is viewed (like wearing women's clothing) as giving up power...which is very frowned upon in our society.

Thats my take on the whole thing.

[dirtylibrarian.livejournal.com]

2. Worst thing ever to happen while at work in your library?

I have to say, thinking about this, I've been pretty lucky. No one terrible experience stands out. I've been in earthquakes and tornadoes. I've had to remove terribly explicit porn from very public computers. I've averted potential stalkers, and helped children with terrible nose bleeds. I've stopped a fistfight in the teen area. I've had to dodge a foot loving pervert. I've been lucky not to have to deal with worst.

I think the worst thing for me, in some ways was also the best. I once had to help a teen patron in a true moment of crisis, where he had been teased by others to the point where he took his glasses off and threw them across the room. As a geek who wears glasses, I understood immediately that this was a cry for help, and I had the opportunity to take him aside and talk with him for close to an hour. It pained me to see such cruel treatment of fellow people, but I am grateful for the opportunity I had to be there for him at his moment of need, and to be able to help bring back his hope for a future free of bullies, that he would find community in college. He changed schools soon after this, and last I heard he was doing well.

Is that selfish of me, to look back fondly on his moment of pain? But I really felt like this was one of those times I was there to make a real difference, and that thought keeps me going.

[dirtylibrarian.livejournal.com]

3. Most annoying thing in existence?

That humans don't use the gifts and resources we have to make peace and get along with each other.

Or W speaking.

[libation.livejournal.com]

1. What book do you personally hand to YA patrons most frequently?
2. Does your library see graphic novels as a necessary evil to get certain hard-to-reach demographics in the library, or as a valid literary form?
3. What makes you a dirty librarian? I am so curious. :D

[dirtylibrarian.livejournal.com]

1. What book do you personally hand to YA patrons most frequently?

I would have to say Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen. It goes back and forth between a guy and a girl, but is not a romance, but rather a book about relationships. Both male and female readers really respond well to it, and I think it gives people a greater understanding of perspective. Great stuff.

After that...Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson...every girl 8th grade and beyond should read this one. And as far as crossover between what I recommend to teens and adults, my standby for mysteries is The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King.

[libation.livejournal.com]

I will have to read Speak now. I see it all the time and just re-ordered it in paperback. Gotta take a copy home.

Interesting answers! Perhaps I am also a dirty librarian, then . . . though I don't have my MLS (starting library school in a few weeks) which makes me a dirty associate, I guess. Doesn't have the same ring. :)

[libation.livejournal.com]

I read Speak yesterday. I love it when a book makes me feel like crying and then two pages later I laugh a little. So sad, so heartbreaking, so true, and quite an accurate description of high school. For a long time I've thought high school is an obsolete institution that doesn't prepare students for college or the real world. Radical reform is needed, imho.

[dirtylibrarian.livejournal.com]

Isn't it just wonderful??? And LHA is a great person too...I got to meet her at a cocktail party at ALA once.

[dirtylibrarian.livejournal.com]

With the stereotypes about librarians out there, I'm sure many of us could fit the bill...I think it is kinda fun :)

[dirtylibrarian.livejournal.com]

2. Does your library see graphic novels as a necessary evil to get certain hard-to-reach demographics in the library, or as a valid literary form?

Ha! Good question. The answer being the second. And I'll tell you why I laugh. I try to keep a low profile here because I am adamant about keeping my personal and professional life separate to a large degree, but (to brag for a second, if I may) I was one of the planners for YALSA's graphic novel pre-conference a few years ago...for a while I considered myself one of the biggest graphic novel advocates in the field...not so much now (not less supportive, just less of an active advocate).

[dirtylibrarian.livejournal.com]

3. What makes you a dirty librarian? I am so curious. :D

Sigh. I feel like I do so let people down with that.

The story is, I was visiting a friend of mine in Portland, and at some point he said (in the appropriate theatrical voice) "why you dirty librarian you!" instead of dirty crook...and I loved how it sounded. I was given dirtylibrarian.com as a birthday present, because of my delight that it was available. And for a while I seriously considered having it as a site where folks could post their librarian erotica. But they I liked the idea of it as a personal site. And then my professional paranoia set in, that working with teens, I couldn't really have it be all that dirty, blah blah blah...still vacillating on that.

How am I a dirty librarian? I just LOVE dirty jokes. And I like getting my hands dirty...particularly in the garden. And I have a fairly dirty mind. But on the surface? Squeaky clean. But isn't that part of the fetish appeal of librarians? That under the surface they are ready to cut loose? So I think it fits better than one might think upon first examination.