Love Fest in the Library!

The Beatles once sang about "love, love, love" and how "love is all you need."  That may be true, but with Valentine's Day upon us, you might want to have a little bit more in the forms of books and movies to help you celebrate your love fest.

Now I must confess that I'm a romantic; almost anything that falls under chick-flick or chick-lit will catch my attention.  So, to all of you out there who's anti-V-day, be forewarned that I'm going to talk about my favorite romantic picks.  As for those who are in love with love, sip on some wine, munch on some chocolate, and read on.

When I think of romantic items in the library, the first thing that comes to my mind is The Phantom of the Opera.  The book by Gaston Leroux is an interesting read, but it's the movie that really gets my heart racing.  A deformed genius of a composer/musician/artist living in the basement of the Paris Opera falls in love with a beautiful young singer and becomes her mentor and would-be lover.  Gerard Butler plays the title character with such passion, such tenderness, such sensuality (I'm getting a little breathless here) that you feel so sad for him when that stupid Christine chooses a better looking guy over him.  Add to that some gorgeous, sweeping melodies along with some exceptional artistic direction and you've got a great girl's (or guy's) night in.

Since I've started talking about stories from long ago, I have to include another oldie but goodie, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.  Oh, that Mr. Darcy!  Will he ever be able to overcome his pride and will Elizabeth put aside her prejudice to see that they are perfect for each other?  Ah, the drama!  The suspense!  A captivating story that kept me up to the wee hours of the morning to finish it ahead of the rest of my high school English class when I first read it.  And then there's what I consider to be the ultimate film version of the book with (*swoon*) Colin Firth as the dashing Darcy.  If that's not enough, Firth plays Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones's Diary, the modern re-telling of Austen's classic.

While we're on the subject of leading men, we can't forget Cary Elwes in the modern classic, The Princess Bride.  Sure, it's inconceivable to have a hero and heroine with the unlikely names of Westley and Buttercup, but it's a simple story that focuses on true love, the kind so many dream about yet so few have.  Just before you think things are going to get too mushy, though, you can always count on Billy Crystal, Mandy Patinkin, and Andre the Giant to bring you back to reality with some good belly laughs.

If I've whetted your appetite for things romantic, come on over to the library and get a few of the many items available to see you through a lovely Valentine's Day!

Dreaming of flowers and chocolate from the perch.  (Did I mention chocolate?)

 

The Library and Your Health

A late but Happy New Year to all my fans!  I'm sure some of you may have thought I partied too hard over the holidays to post in January.  Alas, I only wish that were the case!  Unfortunately, like many of you, I was under the weather for most of the holiday season, first with a stomach bug that kept me from eating all the Christmas goodies and then with a regular cold that kept me from caroling Christmas tunes.  Happily, though, this perch librarian is back to her usual chipper self on the perch.

Despite working in a public environment, I was surprised that I came down with the 1-2 punch.  After all, I was taking extra vitamin C, washing my hands, using hand sanitizer, and keeping my hands away from my face.  I thought I was doing everything right, but apparently, I was still somehow susceptible to getting sick.

So, I got to thinking--the library is a germier place than many of us realize.  Just stop and think about it.  People all day, everyday are touching items from books to DVDs to tabletops to computer mice and keyboards...you get the idea.  And unfortunately, not everyone practices good hygiene.  You'd be shocked to know how many people put the computer passes in their mouths before we got the bigger, thicker passes.  There still are unexplainable black spots on the passes (I keep wondering what people DO with them during the short walk between the desk and the computer), but we try our best to keep them sanitized with Clorox Wipes as often as we can.

I'm probably beating a dead horse here since this isn't the first post I've written about keeping the library clean.  During this winter cold and flu season, however, let's all do our part to stay healthy and practice good hygiene.  Some people enjoy eating their way through New York City, but believe you me, it sure isn't pleasant doing the opposite with a stomach bug.

Some food for thought from the perch.