Just Keep Swimming

How are we doing on keeping those New Year's resolutions? Still doing well? Struggling a little? Ditched them halfway through January? Personally, I believe New Year's intentions are kinder and leave room for being simply human; resolutions, to me, feel more like a ball and chain.

My New Year's intention is to be more positive and grateful, and to help me to this end, I started a daily gratitude journal. At the end of each day, I write down 3 things for which I'm grateful that day. It can be anything, like a beautiful sunset, a cup of tea, a stranger saying hello, or reading a good book (big surprise). The one parameter I've set up for myself is focusing on things I have and avoiding the words don't or can't (i.e., "I'm glad I don't have to clean the bathroom today" or "I'm glad I can't visit Snake Island in Brazil"). Let's face it--don't and can't are negative terms while have tends to be more positive.

To be honest, so far I've had to combine a few days (I was feeling crummy with a head cold in the middle of January), but other than that, I've kept up with my journaling. It's given me cause to stop and think about the good that's around me. I'd like to think that when I do have a bad day, I can flip through previous pages and remind myself that things aren't as awful as they may seem in that moment. Anyone who's into mindfulness can tell you that moments come and go, changing all the time.

If you've had trouble keeping your New Year's promises to yourself, don't beat yourself over the head. You're only human. And remember that tomorrow is the start of another new year (not all new years need to start on January 1). The important thing is to keep on going. As Dory in Finding Nemo puts it, "just keep swimming."

Wishing you good vibes from the perch.

Don't Count On It

I've never been a big fan of numbers. Although (with extra effort) I got As in my high school math classes, I found the history of math to be more interesting than the actual math itself. Blame it on Miss Bailey, my 9th and 11th grade math teacher who never let anyone forget that Euclid was the father of geometry.

With so many making New Year's resolutions, I can't help noticing all the posts on social media asking people how many books they want to read this year or encouraging kids to read 1,000 books before kindergarten. I think it's great for those of all ages to include books and reading in their plans for the New Year. However, I have a problem with the counting part.

This is just the opinion of one perch librarian, but I think once you put a number to the books you read, you put unnecessary pressure on yourself. At first you may not give much thought to your goal of reading X number of books. However, over time, you're focusing more on achieving that number than you are on enjoying the books you're reading, which should be the ultimate objective. 

And especially concerning very young children, you want to make reading something fun, something they want to do in order to turn them into life-long readers. If you turn reading into a chore, kids will avoid them and likely have difficulty in school and beyond. Just relax and make daily bedtime or morning reading with your little ones part of a pleasant routine. The number of books read will take care of itself.

Remember--what really matters is enjoying the act of reading. Regardless of age, it's the quality of time spent with a book, not the quantity that's important.

Wishing you a year of pleasurable reading from the perch.

An "Awesome" Book

I have an awesome book suggestion for those of you who are too busy, too tired, and too stressed making all that holiday cheer. I know what you're thinking: "Perch Librarian, I have no time to sleep let alone read a book now of all times!" Well, the book I have in mind can be easily read in short snippets (even during a bathroom break) and put you in the spirit of the season now and year-round--The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha.

The genesis of the book is a blog Pasricha started in 2008 during a dark time in his life when his marriage fell apart and his best friend took his own life. "1000 Awesome Things" began as a form of therapy for the author in which he looked for an awesome thing to write about every weekday for a thousand weekdays. The blog went viral and, as they say, the rest is history.

I love this book, especially around holiday time, because it makes you stop and think about all the wonderful little things in life, the everyday things we often take for granted. Think of the smell and sound of a campfire, your favorite comfy T-shirt, hearing someone's smile over the phone, or popping bubble wrap (I love doing that!). Pasricha reminds us that many things we consider ordinary are actually extraordinary and make life worth living.

You can read this book from front to back like any other book or you can just open it to a random page and start reading. Some of the entries are several pages long while others are several lines, so no matter how much time you have, there's always room to squeeze in a few minutes of Awesome reading.

If you ask me, there just aren't enough books for adults that make you smile. Give yourself the gift of reading The Book of Awesome and find all the awesome that's around you.

Wishing you a holiday season full of awesome from the perch.

Lovely Love Actually

The movie, Love Actually, which surprisingly over the years has become a modern holiday classic, is celebrating its 20th anniversary (even though it was released 19 years ago in November 2003). I remember seeing it for the first time in a Beavercreek, Ohio cinema and loved it from the start.

Firstly, you have a dream cast of British actors. Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Keira Knightley, Martin Freeman, and Chiwetel Ejiofor, just to name a few. And if you've seen these actors before in classic or serious roles, you're in for a shock. In Love Actually, they all let their hair down, so-to-speak, and dish up great comedy either with a stiff upper lip or in uncharacteristic ways. You'll see Hugh Grant doing a happy dance as the Prime Minister to "Jump," sung by The Pointer Sisters, and Colin Firth jumping up and down in frustration after gallantly offering his cab to an elderly woman at an airport.

Secondly, the characters of Love Actually are in different stages of love. Liam Neeson is grieving the loss of his wife, while his young stepson is experiencing his first big school crush. Martin Freeman is going through the awkwardness of new love; Emma Thompson is facing the heartbreak of love's betrayal. There's also unrequited love, love that transcends language, love between friends, love between siblings, and love (or is it lust?) on demand. Practically everyone can relate to one type of love or another.

Most of all, Love Actually is a comedy that actually is a comedy, not a comedy that resembles a drama. You'll laugh, you'll have fun, and you'll feel good at the end. Happily, you can borrow the DVD and other holiday movies from our library to enjoy at your leisure. Just one caveat--Love Actually is R-rated as there are some mature scenes and language. 

Wishing you happy holiday viewing from the perch.

Celebrate the Holidays...With Books!

We survived the October and November holidays, and now the big December holidays are upon us. Not a big fan of Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and all the promotional emails from stores? Want to enjoy the holiday season doing something that's less commercial and more meaningful? Celebrate with books!

I realize I'm biased as a perch librarian, but reading is the gift that will never go out of style no matter the age of the recipient. Books not only offer countless hours of (unplugged) entertainment, but also relaxation and learning. Here are some ideas to incorporate books into your holidays:

• Books as gifts.  This one is pretty obvious--give books to your friends and loved ones as holiday gifts. You can give them books you think they will like, or give them a book that you enjoyed and was significant to you.
• A book Advent calendar.  If you count the days before Christmas with your children, instead of chocolates or candy, wrap a book to be opened on each of the 24 days before Christmas (it's lower in calories). Your children will have a new book to look forward to reading every day.
• 8 (or 6) nights of books. Depending on whether you celebrate Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, give the gift of a book on each day of the holiday. This is something that both children and adults will enjoy receiving.
• Jolabokaflod. Get inspired by Iceland's tradition of gifting and reading books on Christmas Eve (while drinking hot chocolate!). Once everyone has their book, they can relax and read quietly to themselves or one person can read a book aloud to others. 

Whatever you decide, you'll have fun and make memories that are sure to last a lifetime. And if you're a little short on cash to buy books, come to our library and help yourself to the books on our Free Shelf. We have plenty of books for readers of all ages, from infants to adults, fiction to non-fiction.

Wishing you Season's Readings from the perch!

Name Your Game

The library has board games? Yes, we do! When was the last time you played a "retro game," one that doesn't require a computer, a TV, a game console, or even electric? You know, games you may have played while growing up, like Checkers, Chess, Monopoly, Life, Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, Battleship, Yahtzee, Sorry, etc. Am I ringing any bells? Maybe some of us have good childhood memories playing those games with our siblings or the whole family together.

Sure, video games (which can also be checked out from the library) are fun and popular today among kids and kids at heart, but there are a lot of good things about board games:

• Unplugging.  Take a break from your phone and other electronic devices. The only thing that should be plugged in is a lamp.
• Togetherness.  Board games require a minimum of 2 people to play, unlike many video games which only need 1 player. Board games give us a good excuse to spend time with friends and family.
• Socializing.  Being together allows us to talk, something that's especially good for kids who can boost their language skills in a non-academic, informal setting.
• Focusing.  The Internet is great for so many things, but lengthening our attention span isn't one of them. Board games force us to focus and think.
• Soothing.  When we're focusing on the game, we forget about work, school, and other things. We relax and feel less anxious.
• Losing.  No one likes losing, but board games teach all of us how to be good losers. We all lose and are disappointed at one time or another, but we also relish working towards a win and succeeding.
• Fun!  Board games are just plain fun, and so many of us get caught up in the stresses of life that we often forget how to just let go. Playtime is important not just for kids, but for teens and adults as well.

So come on over to the library, and besides checking out books, DVDs, and whatnot, check out a board game! We got the classic games you know and newer ones you may not. Perhaps start a game night once a week with your family, or give yourself and your friends something to do on the weekends as the weather gets cooler. And did I mention that board games, as everything else in our library, check out for free??

Wishing you happy board gaming from the perch.

The Book First? Or the Movie?

I recently saw the film adaptation of Where the Crawdads Sing, and I confess that I didn't read the book before watching the movie. Yes, I know it's a popular book, and the reason why I didn't rush to read it is I'm not a big fan of courtroom dramas. So when the movie came out, I thought I'd get an idea of what all the fuss over the book was about.

I admit that even as a librarian, I'll occasionally watch the movie before I read the book. Sometimes the movie will sell me on a book that doesn't immediately grab me. That was the case with The Light Between Oceans, a bestselling book when it was first published. Watching the movie made me want to read the book and get more details of the story. I believe film adaptations have the power to create interest in reading the books on which they were based.

Similarly, books have the power to draw readers to film adaptations. Which fan of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings didn't want to see Peter Jackson's movies when they first came out in the cinema? I remember sitting in a packed theater on opening weekend with other moviegoers who were also there because they wanted to see Middle Earth and its characters brought to life on the screen. Many readers want to re-live their favorite literary experiences through film and compare their vision to that of others.

Let's face it--books sell their film adaptations, and film adaptations sell books. It's a cycle that's been going on for decades, and I'm sure you've probably watched a movie because of a book or read a book because of a movie. As for myself, I just may read Delia Owens' bestseller because of its intriguing film adaptation. Which movies have sold you on a book and vice versa? Share with us!

Wishing you good reads and good movie-watching from the perch.