The Book is NOT Dead!

Last night I had the incredible opportunity to meet Markus Zusak! He is most well known for his book "The Book Thief" which is an incredible read! (I actually was lucky enough to go to lunch with him and some other co-workers in the afternoon.)

He spoke to a packed ballroom (with about 450 people) at the library at 6:00 and began signing books at 7. I don't know how many people got books signed, but I would guess it was over half the crowd.

I didn't get home until 1:30 am this morning! He wanted to spend a few minutes with each person and there were just so many people! It was worth it though. Everyone left with a smile and we were all slap happy by the end of the night/beginning of the morning :)


It made me happy to see so many people eager to meet an author and got me thinking that if we ever go completely to e-books, book signings will either no longer exist or be vastly different. I loved the feeling of community as people talked with one another as they waited in line, as they shared common interests. How often do we talk to our neighbors and to strangers? Not very often. Last night was an opportunity to meet other members of my community and I had a great time chatting with lots of different people. One couple who ended up being the last people to get their books signed said that they had gone to see a movie while they waited their turn. They saw The Chronicles of Narnia, and that's not ever a short movie! People left and came back with food and games to entertain themselves as they waited.

I enjoyed Markus's remarks. He too talked at the end of his speech about how thrilled he was to see a ballroom full of readers with books in their laps. That too often our world is plugged in and doesn't talk to each other enough. He was so gracious as he signed books for 6 1/2 hours. He seemed to love talking with each person.
Also after hearing Markus speak, I determined that I need to find me an Australian man, because wow I could listen to anything if said in that Australian accent!

I gotta say, I look pretty good at 1:30 in the morning. I never knew!
I'm always asleep at that time!

[Photos courtesy of Adrienne ]

Random Conversation with a Library Patron

Today I had this random conversation with a 20-something guy at the library. Here's how it went down:
Is your name Trisha?

No

What is your name?

Ann-Marie

Do you want to go out sometime?

No, I’m good.

Are you married?

No

Well I’ve just seen you around. Have you seen me before?

Maybe, I see a lot of people all the time.

Well you’re pretty.

Thanks!

I just didn't even really know what to say to him. The conversation was so out of the blue, and I honestly haven't noticed him in here before. I don't even know his name...

What if I just turned down my soul mate??? :)

Post Edit: 3 Things
1. He came back and again asked if my name was Trisha. Again I told him it was Ann-Marie and again he didn't introduce himself. He wasn't bad looking, but maybe not the sharpest tool in the shed.

2. Regardless, the interaction totally made my day and I laughed about it all day long.

3. Should I be worried that my gut reaction was to say no? :)

One more thing...My co-worker Megan went to Panda Express for dinner that night and donated her fortune to me because she thought it was applicable:
Accept the affections offered to you- They are sincere!

Stuff

Here are some video's I've seen lately that I have liked. What do you think?


Thought of You from Ryan J Woodward on Vimeo.

I thought this was beautiful and really creative.



My brother posted this on Facebook and my boss also mentioned it to me. Don't bug me when I'm reading a book!

Sweet Mashups!

Bad Blogger

I know I've been a bad blogger! I've done lots of things lately that I want to blog about, but haven't yet had the time. But look soon for pics from my awesome trips to Seattle and Hershey, PA, as well as my first roller derby.

For now, a fall post:


Fall leaves = Golden light outside my door.

When I came home the other night and unlocked my door, I noticed that the beautiful yellow leaves on the tree over my entrance makes a lovely golden light outside about 5:30 pm.

White Trash Summer

(Sorry the picture's so small, I forgot to bring my camera and took it with my phone)

So my friends and I decided to have a White Trash Summer. We were going to go to a rodeo, roller derby, monster truck rally, and demolition derby.

Well, it's the middle of August and so far we've only done one. But we are going to continue the theme into the fall and go to a roller derby in September.

On Saturday we went to the Juab County Fair in Nephi and saw their demolition derby! It was so awesome! I loved it. The people watching was great (apparently it is all the rage for the teenage girls to crimp their hair, however they only crimp it half way down, why? we don't know!) and I was really entertained by the cars smashing into one another. I'd love to go to another demolition derby!

Call me Bob the Builder

Look what I built today!


A cute little table and 2 stools for my new apartment. More pictures will come when I'm actually moved in and settled.

Hot Air Balloon Ride

(Group shot inside the balloon! Me, Katie, Jessica, Kaylene, and Melanie)

This last Thursday (July 15th) I went on a Hot Air Balloon ride. My old roommate Katie and I have been talking about doing this for years and we finally did it! Two of her roommates and a friend of one of her roommates came with us.

We camped the night before in Midway (it's beautiful up there!) and went to meet the balloon people at 6:15 am. They took us in their van to the Heber airport and we got to watch them get everything set up. First they blow air into the balloon with a fan and then attach it to the basket while the basket is laying on it's side. Then they further inflate the balloon with hot air after setting it upright.

We climbed into the basket and were off! It was really cool because you were flat on the ground and they just slowly lifted up. The highest we got (at least the highest the pilot mentioned to us) was 1600 feet. It was a beautiful morning and we didn't have any turbulence. It was so surreal to just be floating in the air and so cool!

I would love to go in another hot air balloon sometime, it was so much fun!

Here are some pictures and videos from my adventure.






This is called milking the balloon, they basically wrestle the air out of the balloon so they can pack it back up.

Look what came in the mail yesterday!

It's official I'm graduated and I have the diploma to prove it!

Good Things to Come

I watched this video earlier this week. It is a message we each need at one time or another in our lives. Enjoy!



Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ they do come! Trust God and believe in good things to come.

You can read the entire talk here.

Dinner Ideas Anyone?

Yummy! With a name like Confetti Meatball Supper how can you go wrong?

Today at work I was going through some books that need to be weeded (ones we look at to see if they should be discarded from the collection because of damage, low circulation, or age). I came across this book that was published in 1974 and thought I'd pass along some of the great recipes!

Don't the dishes on the front and back covers look appetizing?

Mmmmm! Jello mold dinner.

I scanned the recipe for you so you can make it for dinner soon.

I love that the Frank-Kraut Dinner suggests cutting the hotdogs to make the meal fancier!

Microwaves are newfangled appliances, so heed this advice.

Unfortunately I think I'm gonna have to let this one go from the cookbook section at the library. However, if you are interested in owning this book, look for it at one of our next Book Sales!

I did it!

I turned in my LAST paper for grad school today! I'm so excited to be done with school and to not have to do homework ever again!!!

So Funny!

I love this picture of my brother and 2 nephews. I don't know what they are laughing at, but they are all cracking up!

Huh

Tonight I was on campus doing homework and saw this sign in the bathroom.

I wonder if there has been a rash of BYU students flushing paper towels. What else would necessitate a PERMANENT sign?

Newest Nephew

My nephews just don't want to cook as long as they are supposed to! My newest nephew William was born this afternoon at 3:47pm. He is 6 pounds and 19 inches long. He was due on Christmas day, but we are happy to have him now too!

Yeah!

I registered for my last semester of school this morning!

Hallelujah!!

Look what the stork brought today

Landon was born at 1:30 this afternoon. He's a little guy, 4 pounds 11 ounces. 17.5 inches long. He is so cute! I love my newest nephew!

Toddler Loves Books

Today I was working the reference desk when a mom and her toddler came up to the desk. I helped the mom find a biography. Meanwhile the child kept repeating "I need a book. I need a book!"

It was so cute!

High School

So today I went to the high school to drop off some stuff for work. I intentionally did not go at noon because I didn't want to go during lunch time. So I went at 2:00.

That was a problem. Because apparently school ends at 2:15. Oh the anxiety of being in a high school again. My dodging skills are not up to par anymore.

I don't want to repeat that experience for a very long time!

Extreme Sheep Herding

I went to the Soldier Hollow Classic again this past Labor day to watch the championship sheep herders. It was a fun time as usual.

Today I came across this Extreme Sheep Herding video and had to share!

Why do we lie?

Why do we lie? I'm not talking about major lies here. I'm talking about things like this:

When someone asks "How are you?" and you answer "Fine" when everything is not fine.

Or when I ask someone not to use their cell phone on the 2nd floor of the library, often after they hang up they apologize and I reply "It's okay" when really it is not okay.

I'm just curious if you have any ideas why we lie on occasions like this...