I confess--I had to post something today just so I can go on record that I blogged on Leap Day. I could be cliche and talk about why we have Leap Years, the traditions that go along with Leap Day (I recommend watching Leap Year), and how people born on February 29th celebrate their birthdays (the real ones and the MIA ones), but I won't.
Instead, I'm going to talk about Leap Day weddings. I'm wondering why anyone would want to get married on Leap Day? Maybe it's a good idea for the forgetful half of the couple. After all, he (or she) can't ever be accused of forgetting an anniversary for 3 years in a row since it comes once every 4 years. But when your anniversary does actually come around and you still forget it, you'll have to wait another 4 years and pay hell to make up for it.
And speaking of hell, I was surprised to learn that some couples travel near and far to get married there. Not the hell some people believe you go to in the afterlife, but Hell, Michigan. One couple even got married there today at specifically 3:33 because it's half of 666. If you ask me, I think it's bad enough that a lot of marriages these days end in hell, but do you really want to start one there? Some food for thought.
Just about to leap off the perch.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Brrr! The Perch is Cold!
Today is one of those days when this perch librarian wishes she was a snowbird on a perch somewhere nice and warm with abundant sunshine rather than on her usual one which has no heat today.
If there's a sunny side to the library not having heat, it's the creativity that comes along with thinking up of different ways to get warm. Here's my preliminary list of ideas on how to warm up in the library today:
Bundled in my poofy pink coat on the perch.
If there's a sunny side to the library not having heat, it's the creativity that comes along with thinking up of different ways to get warm. Here's my preliminary list of ideas on how to warm up in the library today:
- Run around the stacks every so now and then.
- Play DVDs that are set in tropical locales.
- Have a book burning (my colleagues objected, but only because of fire regulations).
- Practice book cart drills for the next ALA Conference.
- Download the yule log video and run it on the desk computers.
- Instead of books, ask for donations of coffee and tea.
- Better yet, ask for donations of electric heaters.
- Practice Maori nose-to-nose greetings (a.k.a "Hongi").
- Hold a zumba class at the desk.
- Have a game of touch football using a book in place of a football.
Bundled in my poofy pink coat on the perch.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Too Many Oscar Nominees?
If you were like me and a lot of other movie fans, you were watching the Academy Awards ceremony last night to see the glitz, the glamor, and, oh yeah, which movies got the prizes. I don't know about the rest of you, but last night I also saw something else I hadn't taken much notice of before.
While most categories had 5 or fewer nominees (if there weren't enough contenders), the category for Best Picture had 9 nominees! Wow! What happened there?
Apparently, when the Academy Awards first began in 1929, there were 10 nominees for Best Picture. In 1943, however, the number of nominees for that category was scaled down to 5. Everything was consistent and the film world was at peace until 2009 when AMPAS (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) decided to go back to the original number of nominees. Were they happy with their decision? No. Last year they decided to really mess with the category, and starting with last night's award ceremony, anywhere between 5 and 10 films can be nominated for Best Picture.
This is what I have to say to AMPAS: get your act together. Nobody complained when there were only 5 films nominated for the Best Picture category. It was easier for everyone to focus on 5 movies rather than on 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 movies. In an era in which defeated teams or players get prizes for losing or coming in second, why, AMPAS, are you encouraging the culture in which the mediocre are rewarded? Stick to your standards and man up: go back to tightening the competition and select the 5 movies you think are truly Oscar-worthy, the ones that are truly above and beyond.
My very humble opinion from the perch.
While most categories had 5 or fewer nominees (if there weren't enough contenders), the category for Best Picture had 9 nominees! Wow! What happened there?
Apparently, when the Academy Awards first began in 1929, there were 10 nominees for Best Picture. In 1943, however, the number of nominees for that category was scaled down to 5. Everything was consistent and the film world was at peace until 2009 when AMPAS (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) decided to go back to the original number of nominees. Were they happy with their decision? No. Last year they decided to really mess with the category, and starting with last night's award ceremony, anywhere between 5 and 10 films can be nominated for Best Picture.
This is what I have to say to AMPAS: get your act together. Nobody complained when there were only 5 films nominated for the Best Picture category. It was easier for everyone to focus on 5 movies rather than on 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 movies. In an era in which defeated teams or players get prizes for losing or coming in second, why, AMPAS, are you encouraging the culture in which the mediocre are rewarded? Stick to your standards and man up: go back to tightening the competition and select the 5 movies you think are truly Oscar-worthy, the ones that are truly above and beyond.
My very humble opinion from the perch.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)