Here's some more Friday five

1. Learn survival skills and go hole up in a remote area and live off the land for a year or two.
2. I try to be honest but tactful. I won't say I like it if I don't, but I won't be mean if I can help it either.
3. Yes. What happened? We're no longer friends.
4. I would probably live in Charles de Lint's Newford. Or Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar. Because I want the magic, eh.
5. Natural self-discipline and the ability to be un-selfconcious.

No word yet on the Sweeney Todd results. I believe they're making decisions tomorrow...

The SARS situation in Toronto is still iffy. Here's the latest from The Globe and Mail. So far they've managed to avoid another travel advisory, and things may be improving, so I hope there will not be any impediments to my trip to CLA/ALA next week. Though I'm more worried about things like the possibility of the conference being cancelled than catching the thing.

I went to a full moon drumming and dancing circle on Pompano Beach last night. A friend from my dance class helped organize it; they used to go to one in Ft Lauderdale but wanted to create a gathering with a more Middle Eastern/bellydancing theme. It was pretty fun, though I was somehow not prepared for all the tourists/bystanders/gawkers, which made me a little uncomfortable. I'm not that great a dancer yet, especially when improvising, and so I don't like lots of strangers watching me when I'm dancing. Some of them were even taking photos ... without permission I might add. At least as far as I know. I guess after blowing my audition, and then going to dance class the next day and feeling like I blew the make-an-entrance-in-front-of-everyone-while-dancing-and-playing-your-zills exercise, I'm a little more self-conscious at the moment.

There haven't been many links here lately, I know....for now, why not take a look at the photos from the Bellydancer of the Year competition.

Well, I feel like I totally blew my Sweeney Todd audition last night...as usual. As I mentioned before, auditions are never good for me. My voice never sounds right (even if it sounds okay, it never sounds right), and I get nervous so I always end up acting like a total idiot. Unfortunately, they've yet to create an audition process where you can explain that you perform well but always choke on the tryouts, so I guess I'm stuck.

Like the Broward on Broadway auditions, this group has you sing in front of every one else who's there to try out, plus they allow onlookers and people who are auditioning on other nights to attend. So on top of everything else you have an audience for your decent into hell. I sang second. I did...okay, and they asked me to stay back to sing some stuff from the show later. Then when they called me again, I swear the accompianist played the song twice as slow as he did for anyone else. I got off to a bad start, as far as tone quality goes, and didn't recover, and then was stupid enough to interrupt myself partway through because I thought I might have gone off key (I hadn't). When I asked if they wanted me to contine they of course said no. To complete my humiliation, someone literally half my age auditioned for the same role last night, and did an absolutely stunning job, so I got to see her perform perfectly (in the correct tempo) and hear the audition panel murmer things about how perfect she was.

Not that getting a part in this show is the be-all and end-all of my life right now. I went into it knowing that there was a good chance I would not get cast, and considering the stories I've heard about the politics of the group it was completely possible that either I would not get a part no matter how well I did, or that even if I did the experience would not be as positive as the one I had with Forum. I just wish that I'd done well so that I could have been proud of my performance and that, one way or the other, they were evaluating me on what I really could do. As it is I feel like I came across as hopelessly amateur.

Oh well. Boring self-castigation over.

Here's along, but interesting article on the image of librarians.

Feels like I haven't updated this blog for a while...three day weekends will do that to you I suppose! Plus there hasn't been a heck of a lot of interest going on here. So what can you do.

A little late, as I was off on Friday, but here's my answers to the Friday Five:

1. Truly? Only once.
2. He's himself, most of all, and he's still here despite the numerous obstacles life threw in our way.
3. The ability to change and grow along with you. The ability to love you for who you are instead of who they want you to be. The ability to face the fear and do it anyway.
4. Unfortunately, I probably have.
5. That it's a never-ending process of learning and discovery. Like the rest of life, I guess.

A report on NPR's This American Life led me to the web site for Found Magazine, a publication based on found photos, notes, etc. that run the gamut from sad to hilarious.

Other news down here: I registered for a Middle Eastern Dance master class by Anahid Sofian next month. It's going to cover Chifitelli/2/4 rhythms and Classical Veilwork. I'm glad that one of these events is finally going to be happening at a time when I can actually attend, and I'm really looking forward to it. I also went dance shopping this weekend and bought some new, better-sounding zills, and found that another studio near my house has classes on Thursday mornings, so I may try those once my time with Mariem is up next week.

Finally, I have an audition with the Pembroke Pines Theatre of the Performing Arts tomorrow for their fall production of Sweeney Todd. Finally chose a song to sing for it, but I haven't had much time to practice, so I'm pretty nervous. Who am I kidding here--I hate auditions and I would feel nervous regardless of how prepared I was! Well, we'll see how it goes...stay tuned and I'll keep you posted!

I'm a little sleepy this morning, after attending the Forum DVD release party last night. We got together in a warehouse/playroom in Ft. Lauderdale, which gave us the opportunity to watch the everything on a huge wide-screen projector. The editors did a great job with the opening and closing credits, and the recording of the show itself turned out really well. It's strange--there was so much stuff going on onstage that I'd never seen before that at times it was like watching an entirely new show! That's what happens when you spend so much time in Senex' house waiting for "martial law," I suppose... Anyway, we all had a good time and I have a copy for posterity now.

Not much else happening here lately except for more rain. I heard a report on NPR last night that suggested there was a very good chance of a hurricane hitting land this season, either in Florida or the Gulf. Needless to say this does not make me happy, though I am glad that I don't live closer to the beach!

It looks like the second wave of SARS in Toronto may be on the wane, finally, at least according to canada.com and the Toronto Sun. Not that that's stopped my employers from banning official travel there anyway. But, I'm going to attend CLA regardless. I want a Canadian job too much to consider not going if at all possible!

Just realized I forgot to answer the Friday Five last week. And, the questions are actually quite a bit harder this time. But, I'll take a stab at it...

1. I most want to be remembered for: making the right choices even if they're not conventional or popular. Fulfilling my potential in at least one arena. Being a person of integrity and honor.
2. Quotation that sums up my outlook on life: what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
3. Achievement most proud of in the past year: managing to face up to a difficult personal mistake.
4. Achievement most proud of in the past 10 years: graduating with my MLIS and getting published, surviving the various situations being in South Florida has thrown at me.
5. Advice: Be brave enough to be true to yourself no matter what other people may think.

Happy Anniversary, Queen Elizabeth.

Want some fun? Go visit Library Girl!

Or, if you're in the mood to be depressed, here's a NY Times article on the ongoing plunder of Iraq's archaeological artifacts. Despite everything, a global market still exists. Which begs the question: who's worse--the one who sells, or the one who buys?

Noted, with disgust, on librarian.net: UNESCO advisor and librarian denied a visa to visit Iraq and inspect the damage to the national library. Why? Because he's French, of course, and France opposed the military action. idiotes!

Well, I'm at work all weekend. Saturday and Sunday. The price I pay to avoid the silliness of Staff Development Day and get three days off next week. It'll be worth it in the end, but right now I wish I was at the beach!

Good news updates: I got my registration from CLA/ALA today, and not only is one of my favorite authors, Charles de Lint, going to be there, but CLA's President's Program features non other than Rex Murphy! Gloria Steinem will also be speaking. This looks like it's shaping up to be pretty interesting all around...also, my copy of El Amar came in the mail today. I'm listening to it right now.

Still raining....my place is okay so far, but Michael came home to a few inches of standing water yesterday. It is easing off, fortunately, but with the ground so saturated it wouldn't take much to flood again.

Did you know that the University of Calgary has a program on how to write computer viruses? If you want to catch a thief...

In other news, Canada's proposition to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana made NPR's Talk of the Nation yesterday. Some of those callers sounded a wee bit upset.... and it was more than a little strange to hear discussion on whether the Bush administration would "take steps to prevent such legislation being enacted" if they didnt' like it, and whether Canada would "have the guts to stand up to them." Sad, isn't it?

We're underwater here in SoFla. 11 inches of rain in one day, with more on the way. They even closed the airport! I, and most of the people I know, barely made it home through the floods last night--what are we going to do today I wonder? Canoe home?

At least my car is okay. I've been nervous of driving in flood conditions ever since last year, when I tried to drive through what I thought was a shallow puddle and turned out to be a knee-deep lake. Macha was in the shop for 2 weeks getting her engine rebuilt, and I'm sure if I get another claim like that on my insurance they'll drop me like a hot coal. And rates here are astronomical as it is, even for people with clean records and no claims!

In other news...Toronto health officials now humbly admit that they "closed the book" too soon on the SARS outbreak out of hubris. Oh really. What a surprise. I'm sure the quarantined students in Markham feel so much better now.

Ordered your librarian pinup calendar yet? I think I just might do that, if for no other reason than to see how many of the models I recognize. I've always felt that Alberta Librarians are the best, anyway...or at least the most fun! Read more in the Calgary Herald.

I finally got my Hossam Ramzy CD, Rhythms of the Nile, from amazon yesterday. This is a 2 disc set that teaches Egyptian percussion rhythms. Now I can annoy my neighbors with drumbeats and zills till all hours, woo hoo! Can you tell I'm looking forward to it?

Back after a relaxing three-day weekend... not quite sure why the US needs Remembrance Day (sorry...Veteran's day), Armed Forces Day, and Memorial Day, but we get a paid holiday for it, so who's complaining.

Unfortunately, Toronto has been put back on the WHO's list of areas with recent local transmission of SARS. They are not recommending travel restrictions, but the CDC in the US has issued it's own travel alert. Not sure what, if anything, this will mean for my trip to CLA/ALA in June, except that I'll probably have to take personal vacation time. That's assuming, of course, that the reports saying that this situation is under control and will soon be contained are true, and we don't get hit hard enough to outright travel bans... the Canadian Medical Association is not convinced that the country's health community has the tools to handle these situations properly. I'm hoping they're wrong.

More response to the Patriot Act: Vive la resistance!

more Friday fiveness:

1. Crest
2. Anything made of recycled paper
3. Anything that looks good when I go shoeshopping
4. Classic Coke--and Canadian tastes better than US
5. Extra

These questions are a little uninspiring so far....

Interesting news today is that we now have the first images of Earth as seen from another planet! The photos were taken by the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft, currently orbiting the Red Planet. See them here. In another unearthly story, some scientists are speculating that The SARS virus may have come from outer space, and some historical pandemics may have the same origin. Certainly more exciting than the civet cat theory, at any rate.

The US Justice Department, the FBI, and terror investgations. @ your library, among other places. Do we feel safe yet?

Jayson Blair just gets more appealing all the time. Now he's bragging about his genius in fooling his "idiot" editors....

Just for fun, I've decided to start participating in the Friday Five. Every friday, they post questions for bloggers to answer in their blogs as a fun community exercise. This week they're asking about food. So here goes....hope you don't get too bored.

1. I prefer filtered, refrigerated water. Tap water here is too warm and tastes funny, and bottled water is often full of impurities.
2. Favorite chip flavour: salt and vinegar, of course!
3. My preferences are too variable to choose one favorite recipie. Right now I'm exploring a middle eastern cookbook so I'm into couscous, tabouleh, kebabs and spices.
4. Sunny side up, but I prefer omelettes with mushroom, garlic, and cheese...
5. Michael made me breakfast this weekend. And despite his eternal protestations, he cooks pretty well!

I went to a new bellydancing class last night, taught by Mariem. I'm not sure if I'm going to continue it beyond the month I already paid for, though. Mariem is a really great dancer--I met her when I saw her dance at a bellydance party last month--but at this point her teaching style seems to consist of getting up in front of the class, dancing on her own to a piece of music, and expecting us to follow along. This instruction style works in Hollywood, but in real life I spend a lot of the class frustrated, not being able to keep up or even figure out what she's doing before she switches moves. And she seems to spend more time looking at herself in the mirror than noticing what her students are doing. I like her as a person and would recommend her highly as a dancer, but I'm not paying for lessons to watch someone else practice her routines.

It's been a bad time back home in Canada. First the SARS outbreak in Toronto, and now, a case of Mad Cow Disease has been confirmed in Alberta. The US has banned all imports of Canadian beef and cattle. This will be devistating to Alberta ranchers, who are still suffering the effects of years of drought conditions. Read the Calgary Herald article here. See the US perspective at the New York Times.

Noted on librarian.net: Iraq's library may be safer than was previously thought. Check out the Boston Globe article here

Some news: I managed to lose the Broward County Library Association Vice Presidential election yesterday. It went to a co-worker instead. The funny thing is that neither of us were really sure we wanted the position, so I was campaigning for him, and he was campaigning for me! So by losing the election, I actually won. Go figure!

I've been wading my way through Kenneth Branagh's massive Hamlet this weekend. And unfortunately it is a bit of a long haul. I was predisposed to really like this movie--I must have seen Henry V in the theatre 4 or 5 times, and I really liked Much Ado About Nothing as well despite the wooden performance by Keanu Reeves. But this one is leaving me cold. The sets, costumes, lighting, and much of the camera work is gorgeous, but I keep on thinking something to the effect of, "gee, that's not the right way to play that scene," or, "boy, the impact of that moment was totally lost the way he directed it," and so on. Oh well....I'm only halfway through the four-hour marathon; perhaps the last half will be better!

Expat strangeness: I heard a spot on Cape Breton fiddler Ashley MacIsaac on NPR on my way to work. Totally different perspective than the info I've seen in the Canadian press! At home, we get reports about him swearing onstage and berating his audiences, erratic behavior that includes wearing kilts the "traditional" way and then allowing himself to be exposed, and his numerous financial problems. Within the last 6-8 months, I've read stories of his numerous debts, complex bankrupcy proceedings, and apparent racist comments during a concert a few days ago. Whereas on NPR, he's a "good businessman" who's moved past his "early mistakes and bad-boy behavior" which mostly stemmed from not being able to handle the pressures of fame at such a young age! I've got nothing against the guy, and I respect him as a musician, but I think I detect some major spin going on here! If you're interested, see and hear the story Here.

More metareporting on the Jayson Blair debacle, this time from UPI.

I got notice today that Peel's Prairie Provinces, 3rd ed. has officially been launched. For those of you who may not know, this book and its corresponding database of citations and images is the project that I worked on for the first year of my professional life. Got me into BIP anyway...take a look and see how you like it.

The Ancient World Web is a blog that focuses on news about archaeology and the ancient world. Enjoy!

I can't believe it's only Wednesday! I don't think this week could get any slower! I don't know if I'll make it to the weekend! Help!

A friend recommended this site to me this week: FetchBook.Info. Type in a title, or browse the subject categories, and it will give you recommendations on the cheapest place to buy the book online. Kind of cool, eh?

I heard a great track from Dar Williams' latest album on WLRN's Folk and Acoustic Music program last weekend. You should be able to listen to some of her music on the site, which uses a flash player. In case you're wondering, the song that got to me was "The One Who Knows" from The Beauty of the Rain.

I can't believe that I forgot to link to htmlgoodies on this site! I'm updating the sidebar today...if you want to teach yourself html, javascript, or just about anything else, I can't recommend this site and it's tutorials highly enough. Clear, well-organized instruction at all levels from beginner to expert, and best of all, it's One Hundred Per Cent Free. Who could ask for anything more?

I've been reading about the Jayson Blair controversy today ... see the exhaustive NY Times article Here. For an interesting, if pointed, critique from another perspective, try reading this.

If you're a librarian, you've probably already seen The ALA Library: Terrorist Sanctuary by Paul Walfield. But, just in case you missed it....there you go. A total misunderstanding of the issues, if you ask me, but then, he didn't, did he?

Well, I got the DVD/VHS player. What a process, though! First getting a machine that added high-pitched squeaks and chirps to DVD sound; then going to the store to be told I need an adapter to use the RCA jacks because "no DVD player will work with a coaxial cable;" then going home to find the new method of connection blocks any connection between the two machines; then at least a half-hour of troubleshooting on the phone with a totally inarticulate salesboy who advised me to buy even more equipment to make the setup work; all to take it back to the store again to be told I was right the first time and the machine was defective! This is only the short version of the story, of course, as the details would be way to boring to read. But it sucked up hours of a day that I should have spent at the park relaxing, and pissed me off at salespeople who don't know their products and try to make me feel stupid for having a machine that doesn't work. Technostress. Joy joy.

I've read most of the blogging book I mentioned earlier, but I'm finding that it doesn't quite meet my needs. The author's intended audience seems to be total web novices, and so she spends a lot of time on definintions, shoring up the potential blogger's confidence, talking about blog community and philosophy, outlining proper netiquette, helping you set up a blogging schedule, and so on. On the positive side, she's got a warm, approachable tone, a supportive attitude, and the book is full of good links and advice for those new to web publishing. Not great for specific DIY tips and tricks, which is what I was hoping for when I checked it out, but if you are thinking of looking into the whole weblog thing and don't know where to start, this book might be a good place. The title? The weblog handbook: practical advice on creating and maintaining your blog, by Rebecca Blood. See the author's blog at Rebecca's Pocket

One of the good links included in the book is that to librarian.net. Surf to your heart's content....

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