Ode to the Library

Taking Stone to the library can go a number of ways. Yesterday was the screaming at the top of our lungs in the stacks option. Nothing screams "sad and pathetic" like standing in front of the dating self-help books, and having to say repeatedly to the screaming preschooler next to you. "Will you PLEASE just HUSH?"

Our local library is not noted for being a haven for picking up single men. The one time a guy hit on me there, it turned out he was in town for a court date and was going to kill some time by going online and looking for Christian music. Not the strongest pickup line I've ever heard sir. You may want to reconsider your approach. At the very least, may I recommend bringing up the criminal record after we exchange names?

I tend to pick up an eclectic selection of items at the library. My first stop is always the music collection.I have found more amazing artists that way. It's how I got into Jan Arden, Vampire Weekend, and Patty Griffin. Now I'm hooked.

I also have a thing for cookbooks. I love to to cook, and never leave the library without at least one cookbook. On this trip I left with The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook, by Erin Chase. This combines my love of cooking and my ingrained sense of Yankee thrift. There's an entire blog on that alone someday.

My guilty pleasure read is self-help books. I have read just about every book in our local library about dating, divorce, dating after divorce, dating with children...sad for a girl who seldom dates, I know. I think its one of the reasons my friend Sarah calls me "Bridget Jones". I like to think that I am more like the Diane Lane's character in the movie "Must Love Dogs", but I have a feeling Sarah is right. I don't smoke, but have been known to indulge in alcohol and sad music when I'm feeling lonely. I worry about my weight, and am concerned about the very real possibility that am going to die alone. Of course no one will find my body for weeks, after it has been eaten by dogs. I also have a weakness for Daniel Cleaver types. (Now if only I could find one that looks like Hugh Grant!) I always think they're a Mark Darcy, but in the end, they are a Daniel. (Of course I wouldn't kick Colin Firth out of my bed for eating crackers either, but that's another story.)



On this trip I picked up a selection of books on divorce, including one that hit a little close to home. Drunk Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair, by Laurie Perry. Surely this was written about me. Do you think I can get royalties?

Normally I would head for the movies next, but I've been so busy that I wouldn't get to watch them before they're due. Stone was done. He was still fuming that there were no books about Thomas the Tank Engine in the collection. I tried to steer him towards something else, but he would have none of it.

So our library adventure came to a close. Six books and three CDs later, we were headed out. I got out of the house and interacted with people. Some days you just can't ask for more than that!