Work Field Trip #2

I am so impressed by the "electronic age". I can't believe how many places have wireless internet. Such a great resource for a remote worker like myself. Where is Shannon today?

Last night Brigitte was experiencing some back pain so we brought her to Little Company of Mary hospital where they admitted her to do some tests. Apparently because lobotomists need wireless to use their tools, they made the whole hospital wireless. So I've been blessed again to be able to work from here while Brigitte is sleeping.

A big thank you to everyone who has been praying for Brigitte since last night. God has truly blessed me with a circle of Christian friends that are a text message away and a job that has enabled me to care for Brigitte and the kids and still work.

Work Field Trip

My teacher friends have summer teacher field trips so thought I'd blog about my work field trip (basically change in work environment while Brigitte is giving French lessons) to the Palm/Overland Los Angeles Public Library and some of the things I've learned during the time spent there.

Before I go into that though, when I was little my mom used to take me weekly to our Stockton library and Bookmobile (library on wheels essentially - it was like a bread truck - you know those white ones that deliver bread to the grocery store and it would park on random streets on certain days and we would go to the specified location and check out books). When I was little, my favorite book was the Teeny Tiny Woman. I would check it out over and over again.

During the summer, I was always in the summer reading challenge where you had your name on an index card size paper and every book I read, I got one of those gold foiled stars.

Needless to say, I have continued to be an avid reader but probably stopped going to the public library around 14 when hanging with friends pulled me away and Waldenbooks, B.Dalton and Crown Books got big (remember those bookstores before Barnes and Noble and Borders and Amazon.com took over the book world). Anyways Brigitte does her french tutoring at the library so its my second time back since I was 14 (first was last Friday). I know kind of strange that I haven't been to the Gundo library.

So my thoughts.
The library is loud. I remember when I was little I had to be very, very quiet and not talk. Now there are people talking at tables, cell phones going off and conversations ensuing.

There are a few odd characters that hang out at the library (random guy that was here last week and this week talking to himself wearing the same clothes he was wearing last week). I remember that my mom used to let me peruse the children and young adult books by myself while she went and looked for books for her. I don't think I would let my kids do that now.

There are VHS tapes, DVDs and CDs that can be checked out.

I'm getting old - I lived in a day of card catalogs and microfiche and the librarian stamping the card in the pocket in the front cover with the date that the book was due. Now I hand the librarian (seems strange to call a 30 year old guy that I would expect to work at Foot Locker a librarian) my keys because I have a scanner thing like my Ralph's Club that allows me to check out books and I get a computerize receipt with a list of the books and the date they are due.

Free wireless internet - I can work here.

Found two new books on my "to read" list - The Appeal by John Grisham and Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult - that I checked out. Saved $30 by getting them there.

That's all for now. I've got to get reading - The Appeal is due in 7 days...

Come Hang Out With Us

As the weather is getting warmer and the sun is out all the time, I decided that I wanted to get a bistro type table and chairs to be able to sit outside and enjoy a cool beverage and some food, read a book, hang out with friends. So i started scouring the internet and stores for a cute table and chairs. I ended up finding this cute one at IKEA.

As God has blessed me with a job that enables me to work from home (or at the time of this post - the Palm - Overland Public Library while Brigitte is doing her french tutoring), you may find me working at the table during the day.

So Yogi and I invite you to come hang out.

I'm back

Sorry its been so long since I posted. Not much going on after St. Patty's day and then this last week has been pretty crazy with taking Brigitte to the ER last Friday. We thought it was related to the tumor in her lung but it ended up being excruciating pain from two little bike falls a few weeks ago and a massage she had on Thursday which resulted in a pinched nerve and possible hairline fracture of her rib. Anyways she's okay now although still really groggy every day from all the pain meds, as you can see she decided that we needed to clean my kitchen window. This was just the start - it also involved taking the screen and window off and q-tips in the crevices.

Nope the apartment is still under construction...

There's a new Peruvian restaurant in the Gundo on Main Street (next to Chef Hannes) that opened a few weeks ago that I decided to check out on Saturday. John Mo's mom's friend owns it. Food was really good - definitely recommend stopping by.