In Defense of Praise

In my last post I wrote about the assignment that Madeleine and I did for her English class on the book Lord of the Flies. Well today she came home and told me we got an A+!!! I am embarrassed to admit how excited I was to hear that. It's kind of sad really. I couldn't wait to look at the assignment and read the teacher's comments. It's amazing to me, that at 45 years old and many, many years since I was student, how important those comments were to me. I was not expecting to have that reaction. And it got me thinking...

No matter how old you are, it's nice to receive some validation, encouragement and appreciation for a job well done. I hadn't really thought about that with regards to myself. Of course, as a (mostly) stay at home mom, I don't have many opportunities to hear from a "supervisor" that I've done a good job. I don't mean to imply that my family is not thankful or appreciative of the work I do for them. Because they are and they express it frequently. There just aren't many performance reviews for stay home moms. (Thankfully!) And even in my part time job at the library I don't get that kind of feedback from my boss. It's not often that I hear my initiative was noticed or appreciated. Or that my ideas are valued. Or that my efforts didn't go unnoticed. Or that the extra projects I take on make the library a better place. Until today I didn't think that that kind of praise was a big deal. But you know what? It is. It feels really good when someone comments on something you've done well. It's nice to have feedback on your efforts. It's even nicer to know that someone notices and appreciates when you go above and beyond in your duties. So what do I do with this new found knowledge? Good question. Not sure what I will do about it with respect to my job. But I do know that I will be telling the people around me (and not just my kids) when they've done a good job. I will be sure to mention that I appreciated their extra efforts or that I noticed that they went over and above what was expected. Because you know what? We all deserve to receive recognition for a job well done. If for no other reason than that it feels good.

Queen For A Day

It's official. I am Queen for A Day! Yesterday I received the Queen of All Things Awe-summm!!! award, not once, not twice, but THREE times. OMG! I'm not sure how to react to that. I think maybe my blog circle must be pretty small. LOL! In any case, I'm dumb-founded and honored.

I received this royal award from Valentine and Demosthenes at Letters from Valentine AND Beth at be careful what you wish for AND Clare at this and that . Wow! I'm so flattered and honored to be the recipient of such a cool award. And I will be honest, it's kind of the perfect award for me because when I was a little girl my grandfather nicknamed me The Queen. I loved it, but I think he called me that because I a bit bossy and always had to have my own way. (Some things never change. Just ask my husband). So here's how the award works:

Queen Duties are as follows:

1. List 7 things that make you awe-summm.

2. Pass the award onto 7 bloggers that you think are awe-summm.

3. Tag those bloggers to let them know they are now Queens too (and link back to the Queen who tagged you).

Alrighty then. 7 things that make me awe-summm:

Wow this is harder than it sounds!

1. I am an awe-summm multitasker. I can literally do 3 or 4 things at once. This makes me amazingly efficient at home and has earned me the nickname of the "whirling dervish" from the Children's Librarian at work.

2. I have been married for nearly 22 years! I think this is pretty awe-summm in and of itself, but the fact that I'm married to my HS sweetheart and we were apart for most of the four years of college (except for summers and other breaks) makes this even more awe-summm! And the most awe-summm part is that we dated for 7 years before we got hitched, so we've been together for nearly 29 years! It hasn't always been easy, but it has most definitely been worth it!

3. I can touch my nose with my tongue! Having a long pointy nose (think the Child Catcher from Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang) has it benefits. Pretty awe-summm, right?

4. I LOVE to learn new things and believe in being a life long learner. It doesn't have to be academic subjects either. In recent years, I've learned to play piano, taken tap dancing lessons, learned to knit, learned to play Mah Jong and now I'm blogging. And as you all know, blogging is totally awe-summm!

5. A year and a half ago I got my dream car. A car I had been coveting for 4 years. A car I got when I gave up the minivan I had been driving for 13 years. My red/white Mini Cooper is most definitely awe-summm!

6. I am a fast reader. This is awe-summm because I love to read and I have a very long list of books I want to read. So this is an essential skill for me!

7. I think it's awe-summm that I have made so many bloggy friends since starting my blog in February. I was not expecting that. I figured my blog would be a sort of personal journal of book reviews and that maybe my friends would read it occasionally. I never expected that other people would be interested. Truthfully, I had never even read a blog before I started this one, so I wasn't aware of "Followers", and SITS, and Google Reader, etc. Totally AWE-SUMMM!!!

7 Awe-summm bloggers I want to pass this on to:

1. Alex at Please Try Again

2. Anita at a wife, a woman, a mom

3. Tammy Keep in Touch with Mommakin

4. Julie at Midlife Jobhunter

5. Gibby at Lost in Suburban Bliss

6. Cat and Ben at 4 Nuts in a Nutshell

7. Lady Grey at Miss Lady Grey

Thanks again ladies. I'm so flattered and honored to have received this award!

Got Maps, Will Travel

No need to call the National Guard. I made it to Boston and back with very little trouble and nary a colorful word passing my lips. Yahoo! A red letter day if I may say so myself. I think I have figured out the key to not getting lost. It's imperative to have multiple sets of directions. I'm not kidding! When one set seemed a little ambiguous I quickly consulted one of the others and by compiling the information it all seemed to make sense. Of course there were a few minor snafus. For instance Map Quest said take Exit 20 toward I-90 and Google Maps very helpfully added the information that Exit 20 is on the LEFT. That is good to know. You're not usually expecting exits to be on the LEFT. The only problem here was that the exit was ... on the RIGHT! Oops! Minor details like that happened a few times, but otherwise it wasn't so bad. I didn't even get lost. Not even a little bit. So what's an incorrect LEFT vs RIGHT in the grand scheme of things, right? I mean, "correct".


As for the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art), I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. I love art museums but I must admit that I am not a big fan of contemporary art. Most of it is completely lost on me. I just don't "get" it. But, since the ICA is a brand spanking new museum it seemed like something fun to try - once. Well, did we ever luck out. The ICA is currently exhibiting the work of Shepard Fairey, the artist who painted the Hope portrait of Obama that was featured on the cover of Time magazine! Because Fairey attended the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) our local paper (The Providence Journal) did an article on him when his portrait was chosen for Time magazine. So, I was familiar with him and his connection to RI. But, other than that I didn't know anything about him. Apparently he is quite famous in the art world and he is being touted as this generation's Andy Warhol. We listened to the audio tour provided by the museum and I learned so much about Fairey as an artist and how his art sends a political message. But the best part? The original Obama portrait was there! Larger than life. I was able to walk right up to it and study it closely. What you might not know from looking at the image on the cover of Time is that this portrait (like all of Fairey's work) is actually a collage of sorts with lots of different layers - paint, stencils and most intriguing of all pieces of newsprint. Very cool. AND we got to see the letter from Obama to Fairey thanking him for his support and for painting the portrait! Amazing! I was not expecting to see this and I am so happy that I did.


In addition, the museum is located right on a pier and the views are lovely. I've added some pictures here for you to see. Enjoy!

This is the actual museum. It's hard to tell but the entire thing is made of glass. The second story juts out over the harbor and the wall is made of glass. The view is gorgeous.




This is a view of the harbor from the second story of the museum. It's really very pretty and we had a great day. We also lucked out in that today was the first day of a three week Boston stop of the Volvo Ocean Race (an around the world sailing race). We got to see some of the sail boats and check out some booths. Kristen won a Beatles CD at a local radio station booth and we saw a Volvo SUV made entirely out of Legos.

More modern art! And this I get!

Boston or Bust - Again?

Wish me luck! I'm going to need it. Today I am going to Boston (yet again) to meet up with a friend from college. Kristen and I met when I was a Junior and she was a Freshman and we have managed to keep in touch all these years. She lives about 2 hours away and we try to meet a couple times a year - sometimes in Boston. Today we are going to visit the brand new ICA Museum. Since we both like museums and history, Boston makes sense. Except for the fact that every time I go there I get completely turned around, hopelessly lost, and lots of colorful language is used. Remember the GPS debacle of a couple of weeks ago? Well, I do. So, I've got my printed Google Maps directions, and for good measure I have Map Quest as well. Oh, and the directions on the museum's website. And just in case, I have a train schedule. Who am I kidding? I grew up in a small town far from any metropolis. I don't even know how to READ a train schedule. Much less understand how to switch to the "Silverline Waterfront". Forget it! I'll just drive myself there and travel the myriad one way streets like a rat in a maze trying to find the cheese. Fine! But please tell me if you have any idea what I should do when the Map Quest directions say this (and I quote):

Blah, Blah, Blah (this is the stuff I understand)
13: Take the I-90 E exit on the LEFT toward LOGAN AIRPORT/SOUTH BOSTON.
14: Keep RIGHT at the fork in the ramp.
15: Keep LEFT at the fork in the ramp.

WHAT?! I feel some colorful language bubbling to the surface even now. ARGHH! If I don't have a post up tomorrow call out the National Guard. Tell them to look for the brunette in the red Mini Cooper, swearing like a sailor with a crazed look in her eye!

Gratitude and Kreativity

Wow! I'm really flattered to have received not one, but two awards from the terrific Anita at A Wife, a Woman, a Mom! How cool is that. Here's the first award. The Lemonade Award:

The lemonade award is for showing great attitude and/or gratitude. Each award has a pay it forward concept...

The Rules:

1. Put the logo on your blog, nominate at least 10 blogs, which show great attitude and/or gratitude.
2. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
3. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
4. Share the love and link to this post, and/or to the person from whom you received your award.

And as if that awesome award wasn't enough, Anita also gave me the Kreativ Blogger Award:

The Rules:

1. List 7 things that you love.
2. Link to the person who has tagged you
3. Choose 7 more bloggers to give the Kreativ Award to.

OK, here goes. 7 things I love:

1. Dark Chocolate
2. Sleeping in
3. The Office
4. Visiting libraries when I travel
5. Mah Jong
6. Traveling
7. Art Museums

OK, now the best part. I get to pay it forward. I'm passing these amazing awards along to the following awesome bloggers:

Crystal at Traveling at the Speed of Life
Sharon at Gramma Sharon's Life
Clare at thisandthat
Becky at FranticMommy
Kel at Girl in the Glasses
Bethany at Striving to be Bold
Lucky Wife/Bookaholic at Everyday Hills and Valleys
C at CW5h20
Stereos and Souffles
Celine at Chez Celine

Congratulations!

Tag - You're It

Wow! How exciting is this? Alex, the author of Please Try Again, has tagged me. I am supposed to reveal thirteen things about myself and then tag other bloggers to do the same. OK, here goes...

1. As you all probably know by now, I am a serious bookworm. But, I NEVER like the book that wins the Pulitzer Prize, with one notable exception. Weird, right? The one I liked? Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri.

2. Of all the thousands of books I've read in my life, my two absolute favorites are A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith and The Good Earth by Pearl Buck. Actually, I only read The Good Earth a couple of years ago and it was very hard for me to decide if I liked it more than A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. So, I decided it was a tie. No other book has ever come close to these two.

3. I am undeniably one of the most unphotogenic people on the planet. No, I mean it. I even had a photographer say it to me - in the nicest possible way, of course. I kid you not!

4. I am extremely patriotic. I get goosebumps and all teary eyed during the star spangled banner.

5. Spangled is my favorite word. And it doesn't have anything to do with being patriotic. I just like the way it sounds and the images it evokes. Something shiny, glittery and star shaped. Love it!

6. I am completely addicted to my calendar. I have one of those large spiral notebook-type calendars with four columns and the day broken up into 15 minute increments. It is my "bible" and I would be lost without it.

7. My maternal grandparents played a huge role in my upbringing and childhood. When they passed away, it was like losing my parents. They were such an important part of my life and I still miss them.

8. I wanted to be a doctor from the time I was 5 years old until sophomore year in college when I realized I wasn't getting good enough grades (in college) to get into med school. It was a catastrophic time for me. I thought about going into nursing, but was talked out of it by a college counselor. Worse advice I ever got. I still regret it.

9. I am the oldest of 2. I have a brother who is 2 years younger than I am. Growing up I was always glad I didn't have any sisters. I had a friend who had 3 sisters who were always taking (and ruining) her clothes, make up, nail polish, etc. Now, I really wish I did have a sister. I see how close my friends are to their sisters and I really feel as though I'm missing out on that. I sure do hope my girls grow up to be best friends (not looking so good right now, however. LOL!)

10. I am a perfectionist. This can be quite a burden at times. At others, it can be a real blessing. But, it's a lot of pressure - all the time.

11. I love winter. I really do. Most people here in RI, moan and complain from December till April. Not me. I enjoy every minute of it! OK, almost every minute of it.

12. I do not like gardening or yard work, AT ALL! This is why Spring is my least favorite season. I dread getting out there and cleaning up the beds. And I'm not one of those people who can't wait to plant something as soon as the weather warms up. I'm lucky if I plant a pot of flowers next to my front door. Some years I do, some I don't. Jury's still out for this year.

13. I love the smell of the sea. Even at low tide. Really! When my kids were little we lived in AZ and would visit RI every summer. I would take them to a little beach that has a "clam-like" smell most of the time. The girls would wrinkle up their cute little noses and complain. And I would take a deep breath and say how much I loved it. They couldn't understand why. I told them that it was because I used to be a mermaid. They totally bought that! And they believed it for a LONG time. To this day, whenever I see any mermaid "stuff" I smile. Who knows, maybe it's true ;)

OK, so now you know a little bit more about me. Fascinating, right? Now I'm supposed to tag three of you. I'm tagging:

Anita at A Wife, A Woman, A Mom
Tammy at Keep in Touch with Mommakin
Becky at FranticMommy

Can't wait to read your answers (if you decide to play. Please don't feel obligated).

Image from Google Images

A Place for Everything

Once I started to blog, I also started to blog hop (visit other blogs). It is very interesting and can be quite addictive. Anyway, I kept seeing the word "meme" (rhymes with dream), questionnaires and "Mr. Linky" boxes on different blogs. I will admit I had no idea what a meme was so I did what any good librarian would do and I googled it. Here is the definition I found at The Daily Meme. In short, a meme is a list of questions that you find on a weblog, you answer the questions on your blog and presumably someone else will see it and do the same. Mr. Linky comes into play here, too, but I can't really figure that whole thing out. Anyway, I digress. The point is I have seen many of these "memes" and I've thought about doing them, but always decided against it as being somehow blog "filler". BUT, I could just not resist when I saw the following meme about organization (!) on Saturday 9. Those of you who know me well will not be surprised that I decided to "fill" my blog with this meme. After all, my motto is "A place for everything and everything in its place." Who knows, maybe this is just the first of many fascinating memes I will post here. Only time will tell.

1. Are you an organized person?

I am the definition of an organized person.

2. What is one thing about your home that has to be just so or it drives you crazy when it comes to organization?

I can not stand clutter. Everything must be in its place...neatly!

3. Do you have one little nuance about your organization that most people consider to be a little over the top? What is it?

Do I have choose just ONE thing? LOL! I would have to say my 20+ page book list of all the books I've read since 1997, organized by author, with dates. Read more about this list here.

4. What is your favorite organizational tool? (bins, closet organizers, etc.)5. Where is your favorite place to buy organizational needs?

My favorite organizational tool is probably my calendar. I refer to it as my "bible". But, file folders are a close second.

5. Where is your favorite place to buy organizational needs?

I get most my organizational needs at Staples. My system is pretty basic and bare bones.

6. Are you more organized at work or at home?

That's a tough one. Probably at home, since I'm here more. But, over the last 6 years I have made a lot of organizational "tweaks" at the library, too.

7. Are you more or less organized than your significant other?

You're kidding, right? More, much more.

8. Does your significant other help or hurt organization?

Neither. He just gets out of the way!

9. What is the most important recreational items that you organize?

Not sure Christmas ornaments are "recreational items", but I have those down to a science.

OK, so now you know a little bit more about how crazy I am. So, how crazy are you? Answer these questions on your blog and then go to Saturday 9 and link there on the Mister Linky posted there. Heck, I almost sound like I know what I'm talking about.

Image from Google images