making a difference: librarian style

sometimes the smallest things make the largest difference. i've heard that so many times, but over the past year or so this is something that i have truly come to believe.  without this belief, i don't think i'd be able to really be happy at any job.

i might not know the difference i'm making each day and i guess to be fair, i might never know if i really did make a difference ... but in my occasional moment of optimism, i like to believe it's happening.

if you ever get to the point where you also question the difference you might be making (when my point happens, my mother always reminds me ... hence the blogpost), remind yourself of the starfish story (youtube video below - thanks mama gill for the link!).

it's a story i'd heard before at camp cheerio as a camper and counselor, but thinking about it as an adult was a different experience altogether. it transformed from being a sweet tale of doing good things for others (side note: i didn't always get the meaning of motivational stories when i was younger) to being something that really inspired me.

as a teen librarian, will i find the cure for cancer? no. will i sign bills into law that will give equal rights to all? no. will i figure out a way to make republicans, democrats, penguins, and llamas all get along? to borrow an expression from my dear friend cher horowitz from clueless, as if.

but i'm still making a difference. i don't exactly know what difference it is and i'll probably never see it, but just like the wind, i know it's there. (too much sap? apologies.)

[excuse the semi-strange photos of the short shorts and old people.]

also, just for the record, i won't cure cancer, make laws, or figure out how to make political world peace. but you can bet your bottom dollar that i can find you a book about it. 

enough reading my ramblings. go find your starfish and give it a toss.

warnings for my future husband - megan edition

earlier today i read an insightful little article (write up? blog post? something ...) from thought catalog called warnings for my future husband.  if you haven't read it yet, you should.  the writing is one part snarky, one part witty, and one thousand parts honest.

not only did i thoroughly enjoy the post, but it started my brain spinning on some warnings for my own future husband.  and yes, contrary to my current boyfriendless state (thanks for the reminder, grandma), i do believe that somewhere out there my future husband is waiting.  obviously waiting very patiently, but nonetheless, waiting.  and possibly in a mail-order form, but we'll cross that terrifying bridge if (not when, but IF) we come to it.

so here, my fine blog readers, are some of my warnings for my future husband:

[disclaimer: i said some because goodness knows i've left things out ... whether it was so i don't appear as quirky as i am, or because i've forgotten about it, i just think we should be clear: these are just a sampling of my warnings]

1.  i'm going to dress my dog up no matter how many times you remind me she's not a doll.  i know she's not a doll.  i'm not that dumb.  however, nothing in the fact that she is a dog dictates without a doubt that she can't be dressed up.  especially if she likes it.  which she does.  but you don't have to like it.  in fact, feel free to tease me about it.  but just know that every holiday (and some non-holidays) will involve an outfit.

2.  when i make a to-do list that includes things like "get dressed" and "go to sleep," don't feel pressure to do the same.  in fact, please don't.  too many to-do lists around the house will surely overwhelm me.  however, i get a certain amount of satisfaction (translation: a tremendous amount) from crossing these menial tasks off my list so please just let me be.

3.  when we go to the beach, you're going to sleep on the couch if you don't brush your feet off before getting in the bed.  sand in my bed makes for a beyond grumpy megan and trust me, you don't want that.  no one does.  so do the world a favor and wipe your feet ... or pack a spare blanket for the couch.

4.  diet pepsi is not (let me repeat: NOT) the same as diet coke no matter how similar they look.  you don't believe me?  let me replace your next beer with some interestingly colored urine and then try to tell me that something that looks the same is equal in pleasure.

5.  i'm going to call my mother every day, sometimes twice a day (sorry mom, but you know it's true). and if we get into a fight (regardless of whose fault it was), i'm probably going to have to call my mom again.  however, rest assured that she knows better than anyone that i am irrational and overly dramatic. these phone calls will only help your case that you married a lunatic.

6.  i'm going to ask dumb questions about most everything you watch, but that's only because i care.  if you put up with my dumb questions (or cease complaining when i'd rather go shopping), i won't complain when you don't want to watch jersey shore, the bachelor, or sex and the city reruns.  i do ask, however, that when you see that i'm crying while watching my romcoms, you sit down and pretend to care.  or at the very least throw me the tissue box.

the end.  now it's your turn -- what warnings do you have for your future (or current) husband?

             

blogging from the box!

i have officially almost settled into my new box ... in my new city ... in my new adult life.  hooray for that!

trust me though, it was no easy task.  moving is SUCH a beast.  and even though i moved every three years as a child and every semester (or a year at the longest) in college, i had no idea it was such a pain.

i'll love this place if it's the last thing i do because goodness knows i don't ever want to move again.  sheeesh.

here are a few updates that i'm sure you were wondering about my new digs/city:
1.  the cooper river bridge is the most terrifying thing i have ever been on.
2.  however, if you keep taking the bridges back and forth you WILL make it back to your home.
3.  my bed-corner (not to be confused with bedroom ... since i don't actually have one of those) is so much more lovely with mature looking bedding instead of the 12 year old hot pink, barbie-like stuff i had before.
4.  my small, awkward quarters are no match for my mother.  she is the goddess of all things moving/puzzle related.  it's amazing how she can create cubbies and nooks out of thin air.  my father also proved he has outgrown his anti-handyman reputation as he created three little shelving units AND a media stand and none of it has fallen apart yet.  it's only been 24ish hours, but i'm hopeful.
5.  the hallmark movie channel AND lifetime movie network both come on my digital cable thingy.  THIS IS SUCH GOOD NEWS, PEOPLE.  not good news for my productivity, but GREAT news for my holiday spirits -- bring on the christmas movies!
6.  law and order: svu is JUST as wonderful down here as it was in chappy hill.  victory!

so far, so good.  come visit!

my mother rocks.

it seems as though i always fall back on things that i didn't actually learn recently and instead i've known for years.  but that doesn't change the fact that my mom rocks.  i'm sure yours does too, but for me, i've got the best one and i would never in a million years want anything else.

after calling (twice) today to make sure my mom knew i was thinking of her on mother's day (i don't know that she appreciated the second call as much since she was working...), i started thinking about why my mom rocks.  it wasn't hard to crank out the top five reasons so here they are for your reading pleasure.

top five reasons my mom is awesome

(bold and italicized to help in skimming because you know there's a detailed story with each reason)

1.  she didn't let me boss her around.  i'm the queen of bossing people, but mom was one person i could never (and still can't) boss.  i see kids today calling the shots and wearing the pants in the family and it just strikes me as so wrong.  as a child i'm sure i thought i wanted to be the boss, but i never would have survived if i was in charge.  i never would have bathed, eaten anything other than blue box macaroni and cheese (the ONLY kind of macaroni in my book), or apologized when i was mean (which was often).  now i know the importance of hygiene, that there are other inferior types of macaroni but that i should treat them with respect, and that i need to apologize when i'm a crab (unless it was warranted and i'm not actually sorry because then it's fake and fake apologies are the worst).

2.  she always let me use her as an excuse.  when i was little, i was always told that if i ever needed to get out of a situation, i could say my mom wouldn't let me or i had to go home. mom obviously didn't care if my little friends thought she was cool. don't worry, i didn't do a lot of bad things, but that might be because i knew i could always fall back on the excuse of 'mom won't let me...rats!'  because i knew i had an out, i was able to stand up for myself and only do things i wanted to do.  add in the little bit of boss discussed in numero uno and you can imagine i was hard to peer pressure into anything.

3.  she let me make mistakes.  i think some parents are terrified their children will actually be human and screw up, but my mom wasn't like that (and still isn't...she's too realistic to think yours truly won't screw something up).  she didn't want or need my sister and i to be perfect.  really she just wanted me to be nice and stop pinching my sister and for my sister to stand up for herself and pinch me back.  because of this, she let me make mistakes (although she did make me practice my spelling words a billion times a day because i was atrocious at spelling).  when i went to school in alabama, she dropped me off down the road from the school and she would watch, every day, as i took my jacket off and shoved it in my backpack before i even crossed the road.  i hated wearing a jacket but in winter, even in alabama, it was "important to dress appropriately." but the thing is, i never knew she could see me take my jacket off.  apparently i thought her sight didn't extend past the end of the car.  but she let me do it because she knew which battles to pick and she knew eventually i'd get frostbite (or at least a runny nose) and then i'd figure out i needed to wear a coat.  this lesson might've taken years, but now i wear my darned coat.

4.  she helped me (and still helps me) fix my mistakes.  mom might let me make my mistakes, but she doesn't just sit there and tell me to get myself out of my own messes. that's not to say she fixes my problems herself...if i need that, i go to dad (dads just like to be heroes, you know?  gotta milk it.).  but if i want advice and help fixing some craziness i've gotten into, i know who to track down.  even if it means calling 24 times in a row.  eventually she always picks up.  and after letting me give her every single detail of the situation, in addition to the hypothetical responses i've created, she gives me advice.  and after she gives me advice, she tells me to actually do something about it because goodness knows she can't fix my messes.  while that directive still gets me all flustered and angry and i usually go melodramatic and whine that she doesn't care about my problems, it always, always makes me actually do something.  no more whining and mulling over the events/mistakes/crappiness.  i always find a way out (or realize there's no way out and just embrace it).

5.  she's my biggest fan. (b, don't tell your boyfriend, but mom's got this position locked up). and yes, she's my sister's biggest fan too.  who knew one person could be the biggest fans of two people?  it's gotta be tough.  but seriously, when i whine about following my blog, she figures out how to do it even if she doesn't want to.  and when i tell her i've met the most beautiful boy and i think we're getting married, she patiently listens as i detail our disney world ceremony.  one day maybe i'll spin some tale that breaks the mold, but i don't see that happening.  she cheers on our (meaning my sister and i) successes, delights in our excitement, hurts when we hurt, and always, always hugs us good morning when we're together (me more than my sister...fiffy's not a hugger like i am). 

obviously, my mom rocks. if you're in need of someone that will do any of the previously mentioned things, i'll share my mom with you. within days she'll be your biggest fan too.