Sure, give them what they want, we can call ourselves "conservative democrats" if that is what they need to hear! I guess..... but I've got this gag reflex when I hear the word "conservative" applied to me.

The main stream media (MSM) still has this boogy-man, bunker mentality - afraid of being attacked by the nasty Rovian/Limbaugh crew when they report the truth and are called un-American and un-patriotic. This election, the American people have shown them how to tell it like it is, despite the threats. Disagreement, telling the truth, protesting - all so Amercian and oh so patriotic. Now if the media could just realize that they are not under an oppressive regime any more, embrace their power and realize what their jobs really are... maybe we could have our constitutional democracy back?

Nevertheless, I laughed out loud at this article "We're All Conservatives Now" on dailykos by SusanG.

Especially this little bit:
"Yes, I'm a "conservative Democrat" and I agree with the upcoming agenda I've seen floating around here and there: oversight hearings on Iraq and spending, raising the minimum wage, nationalizing health insurance for everyone under 25 as Howard Dean suggested on The Daily Show, using skillful diplomacy as a first resort and military force as a last one, restoring the checks and balances of the Constitution, outlawing torture, re-legalizing habeas corpus. These are "conservative" ideas? Cool. I'm hinky with it. Call them what you like, just implement them."

And this bit:
"And please, don't catch on that every time you insist that "conservative Democrats" won, every time you couple the words, "conservative" and "Democrat," not only does an angel get its wings, some voter in Mississippi is getting the message that there is a natural home for conservatives in the Democratic Party. "

Oh, reading this was just as much fun as watching Steven Colbert do his bit to establish that there was no news of interest on Tuesday or Wednesday.....
Oh, the joy.

Election Night
All I can say is Wahooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!

Still holding out for the Dems in the Senate....

Other than a few races like Kleeb in Nebraska and Ford in Tennessee - things went pretty well. Thank goodness for DailyKos and TPM!!

I am so happy, it is like the fate of the free world was hanging in the balance and the American people came through in a big way! (Okay maybe I'm a little over the top, but really, not by much.)

Good Quote in article on EPA Library closings debacle

In an article on the EPA Library Closings from GovExec.com http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=35419&dcn=todaysnews, I found an awesome quote to add to my what's a library worth tags:

"The agency official said that level of public service is a significant shift from having access to a research librarian. <b>"It's a very different thing, to give the public access to a phone number for an expert ... rather than having a professional librarian assist you in tracking down obscure studies or journal articles that may provide you with a more in-depth discussion of those topics. It's not the same level of service."</b> " [emphasis added]

Good overall article on this issue. Crossing fingers that Democrats do well in today's election so that something can be done about this!

When attending a speaking engagement:
1. Bring a notebook and a pen
2. Do not hold anything that makes noise when you handle it.
3. If you need glasses, don't forget to wear them.

I'm sure I can expand on this list, but rule number one is an especially hard lesson. I attended my first lecture at the Commonwealth Club today: ELLEN BURSTYN who is touring her book Lessons in Becoming Myself. It was wonderful, a quick walk around the corner from work (unbelievably close!) and I was there. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring paper and pen, nor did I remember my glasses. It did allow me to concentrate on the words, which I hoped I would remember, but I don't have a photographic memory, so I'll have to wait for the podcast or the re-broadcast on PBS radio.
Her talk resonated with me though, she is on a spiritual quest as a Sufi ("seeker of truth") and I feel like I've somewhat spent my life on a sort of spiritual quest too. It was nice that the first mind-expanding "Ann Arbor Lifestyle" thing I did was focused around this topic.
There were quite a few things I wanted to remember, but only managed to write one thing down before it all drifted away. (Paraphrased!)

To change the people you attract, change your own vibrations - we resonate on a frequency - we attract those who resonate to the same frequency. If you are attracting the same types of people and you don't want to repeat the patterns, look back at yourself and ask "Why am I attracting this? - what about me do I need to change so I attract the types of people I need and want in my life?" And she asked her Sufi mentor how she was supposed to change her vibration - He said, you
change your vibration frequency through meditation, therapy, learning, and growing spiritually.

I'm drifting away here from tiredness. How did it get to be 1 in the morning? Ah well, more tomorrow.

Today was a fun day! The San Francisco Bay region chapter of SLA hosted a visit to the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa . Since my brother is such a huge fan and it was our birthday (no we are not twins, just one year apart) I decide to treat the whole crew! First off was a visit to the Archives and Research Center and a visit with the archivist. It was wonderful hearing about such an interesting job, she showed us a braille book with raised images and braille text, foreign translations from all over the world, the archival catalog, auction catalogs, boxes of letter, photo albums and more. One thing I liked was that she published a newsletter of reference questions and her answers for the museum staff and volunteers. I don't know if I could use that for our private law library, but it sure was interesting to see the kinds of questions and how comprehensive and amazing librarians (and archivists) are about answering questions. Yay for us! One of our best and most important skills. (That is why I believe we DO belong in the arena of creating content based on compiling all this research.)

Such fun. An ice rink, cozy warm puppy cafe (serving good food!) and a pretty great gift shop featuring all things Snoopy and Charlie Brown. We all decided to stay in Santa Rosa the night, so tomorrow my brother goes back to the ice rink with his family to participate in the Sunday morning parents and kids skate. It will be a hoot. I've got to go in search of Peets, but after I feed my caffeine addiction, I'll be raring to go.

I was a very irritating sister and auntie today, having received a new canon digital camera for my birthday. I absolutely was a kid with a new toy, and I can't wait to explore flickr and all the way cool things librarians and others are doing with digital images, blogs, wikis, flickr, etc. Of course, what does someone like me need with more ways to waste time???!

Had a party tonight at the hotel with cake and a few presents. I'm now a proud member of the Commonwealth Club in SF. I am so excited. More in my plan to re-create my AnnArbor Lifestyle. As outlined in a previous post.
So, in the hotel room, eating cake, taking pictures and..... there is nothing like watching and listening to my nieces play with their new peanuts baseball figurine set. The entire crew of peanuts characters with baseball accoutrements. (Bases, caps, bats, mitts, balls, etc., ) Pretend make-believe baseball with a six-year-old and a 4-year-old who have never played baseball in their lives. But heck, that is the toy they wanted! Nothing to it, they can handle imaginary worlds of princesses, pirates, fluffy dogs, stuffed animals of all breeds, shapes, colors and sizes - seamlessly - what's a little Linus, Lucy, Snoopy, Woodstock, Charlie Brown and baseball thrown in?

What a fun day! It made me realize I really really really need to get out more, and it doesn't have to be anything huge - a small museum, and new town, etc. I find it all interesting and stimulating.

However, it is now past 1 am and I must get some sleep - or even Peet's won't be able to rescue me in the morning.