The Librarian In Me

I'm working on several things at the theater, one of which is organizing, cataloging and shelving more than 250 books about puppetry that have been collected by or donated to the theater over the years.

Boy golly howdy is that a challenge. Just in trying to decide what book goes in which genre is a mighty mountain to climb. Dewey and the LOC aren't exactly my friends on this matter, either. They can disagree with eachother on a lot of things. Genres, order on the shelves, who's turn it is to do dishes this week. They're really terrible roommates. I should recommend they see a counselor.

So I ran across a book that was signed by the author (Helen Haiman Joseph) in 1938. Another book that was owned by Olga Stevens before it was donated to our theater. Another box of Tom Tichenor puppets (yes, puppets--pristine, amazing puppets, with a record and script to go along with it). All of it is just incredible.

It's really been a fascinating education into the history of puppetry. Someday I'll read at least 13 of those books.

We're all okay!

Just in case you weren't one of the 87 people I called yesterday looking for sympathy, or you're not on the loveliness that is twitter, I and my family were in a minor car accident yesterday. One month & two days after Todd's accident & 5 weeks after I bought my new car. Yes, in my new car. New car. 1,620 miles on the car. My beautiful, blue, new Rav4.

It wasn't our fault, the other guy was issued a ticket, I was checked out by a doctor today & have been told to take it easy. The boy-child and husband are all okay. Todd's a little sore, but the boy is completely fine.

We were rear-ended. I was driving (my new car). I exited the freeway to make a right (north) onto 7th avenue to get to the puppet theater to pick my show up to go to the bank to deposit the check from Todd's car accident. The person behind me failed to see that a large blue object was in front of him and not moving as that large blue object was yielding to oncoming traffic. Identical to Todd's accident, just a different freeway/street.

Our bumper is smashed in as is the back door. We can't open it. Today I pulled everything out through the side..which makes me glad for the fact that it has a wonderful set of fold-down seats. I still really love my car.

My NEW car! We didn't have the plates on it yet! Or the proof of insurance in it because they didn't have time to issue it to us...because the car is so new.

If you can't tell, I'm still a touch frustrated. I still also have a screaming headache that I've had since the accident. I was hit on the side of my head, rather than the back because I was looking to the left (to yield to traffic..) at the time of the impact.

In other news, and news that makes me happy, I got a tomtom today for work. We'll see how it goes when I'm going out to schools.

clunky typing makes me happy

So on average I think I've figured out that I do 7-9 shows per week. A friend asked how long this run is...This run has been going on for about 18 years, I imagine it won't stop. The show I do was commissioned by the city water department in 1990 and the city pays the theater to go to schools to teach kids about the evils of wasting water--with a rapping cactus.
Will I get bored with it?
I doubt it. It's a very challenging show. Meaning, at the beginning of each show I hope I do everything right & at the end there's always something I think "ugh" over. The only really bad part about it is the driving. Granted I haven't unloaded a show in 117 degree weather yet...I'm sure driving will have nothing on the heated load/unload next May-September.
Today I'm driving out to East Mesa...And when I say East mesa, I mean that about 12 feet past the school is the "Welcome to Mesa" sign coming in from the other direction. I know this because I accidentally drove past the school yesterday.
The beautiful thing about going way out there is that it is so amazingly quiet. you realize the only thing you're hearing are your footsteps and the wind. An occasional child in the distance or scorpion playing in the school-yard...but there just aren't cars. Its absolutely beautiful. If I didn't really despise plants and arachnids that could hurt me, I'd live out there. I do love living in the city though. If it was farm country in N. CA I might be more tempted to live far away from places with sidewalks....not that my neighborhood has sidewalks...hmm.

Anyway, I suppose this is now warning that if you buy something from me, you've given me free reign to talk about you...I always think about the people who buy my puppets. They're usually getting them for their kids or their co-workers or friends. I usually imagine these people to be teachers or people who work in IT, in just regular ole, ya know, jobs. I found out yesterday that one girl who has bought from me a few times now is a puppeteer! Yay! Not only that, she just made her Sesame Street debut (congratulations!) Anytime that sort of thing happens (i.e. encouragement by someone who does what I do) I think "oh let me at my piles of felt! I want to make more crazy-butt puppets"

So I guess, with that, I'm off to turn some polyfoam into chunks of flesh & gore for tonight's Frightfully Funny Puppet Slam.