Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Musings

I can't believe it has been so long since I last posted. Lots has happened in the past three weeks. I am still trying to adjust to having kittens. Sasha adjusted right on schedule and is now a Graceless Wonder and Nosey Parker. However, Misha is still suffering PTSD and has yet adjusted. I spent all day Sunday trying to tame him. I checked the Internet and the advice says "Small Room Containment". First I lured them into the bathroom. Sasha and Misha stayed there for a while and I handled Misha frequently with rewards of Kraft Singles and baby food. Later I put them in the pet taxi while I cleaned the bathroom, took a shower and prepared the closet.
All went fine and well until about 9:00 when they start getting revved up for the evening's play time. Sasha got restless, Misha was still hissing at times. I kicked Sasha out but that didn't work because he just scratched at the door and meowed. Then I put both of them back in and that didn't work without me because they just scratched the door and meowed. I gave up and let them out so I could go to sleep and not get kicked out of my apartment nor pay damages when I move out.
Misha is a tough nut to crack and I think my options as the clock is running out, is to either ask the Vet for some Kitty Prozac to get him over this phase or take him to the ASPCA and ask them to try to socialize him for a donation. When I take them to the Vet on Saturday, I will ask which is the better option.
On a different note, I have started at the new buldi89g (Sasha's contribution). There are a lot of hurtles to cross before January. Also it is clear that the architect and everyone else involved in the project did not really get the feedback of Librarians. So many things are what people imagine a library should be like but is not actually what we want the library of the 21st Century to be nor what actual users need it to be. So we are trying to remediate these facets or learn to live them.
Two big problems, we don't have enough shelving for adults and have had to work around that. The previous manager did not like to weed at all. So right now we have the old collection (All of IT), all the materials that have been bought over the past two years while it was closed for rebuilding, the Opening Day materials and some reassigns. I am bursting at the seams with just the old collection and have had to spend time weeding out shabby, and unused materials before we try to absorb the new collections (]=kl Sasha again) onto the shelves.
The other big problem is that the art work in the children's area is scary. There is a dead or rubber chicken on the clock shoot that sends lost toys away. There is a guy powering the clock wearing a ram's skull on his head while riding a bicycle with saw blades. There is a Zombie looking sombrero wearing guy that is pulling a cart and a guy that is half fish, half something else with a long bird beak mask on. So now the Powers that Be need to sort it out and see if they can get the artist to adjust the artwork. The concept seems to be from an old Wizard of Oz book plate but MY GOD those things can be scary. I would have nightmares if I were a 7 or 8 year old looking at it. I get creeped out as it is and I am an adult.
More later.