What do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?

I recently spoke on a panel at a career options conference at a local college. The reason I was invited at all was because I'm conflicted when it come to my career. I studied illustration in school, became a librarian full time, but also love to write novels. In other words I never did figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. They wanted someone who could speak about keeping your options open. Speaking to college students who are just beginning their own careers got me thinking about why we choose to pursue the careers we do. The jobs we've worked for years aren't necessarily our first choice. I started asking around work what people would be if education, family or money were not an obstacle. The answers people gave surprised me. Among the dream jobs listed were things like criminal profiler, poet, private detective, author, artist, astronaut, women's rights activist, and actor. All of these are a far cry from working in a library. Call me curious, but I'm interested in knowing what you guys in cyberland would be if you could have your dream job. Make sure to list what you are now so we can compare and contrast. Feel free to leave it as an anonymous comment if you want.

Random Weirdness to Brighten Your Day

Screaming frogs. What more can I say? I didn't even know there was such a thing in the universe until I saw this. Had to share.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE111Z9xOLw

Toad that likes to be scratched.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptNkG70oTF4&feature=related

Chatty frog responds to his owner's croaking. Cute.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC7q-Kn3Bmo&feature=related

Enormous wild hog. Glad I didn't meet THAT while out taking a walk one day. Even if I had been armed with a gun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZA8dVN0nF4&feature=related

Things that make you go--hmmm. Like minature dancing robots. Doing a fan dance. In unison. Hmmmm. You could end world hunger with the amount of money they probably spent on making these things. But then I wouldn't have such a great video to post on my blog.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6hw6UCtmls&feature=related

What Your Mother Doesn't Know

One of my coworkers recently told me the story of how she broke her arm as a child. Right in the middle of telling me what it was she was doing when she fell, my coworker stopped and laughed. “You know, I lied to my mother that day about what I was doing when I broke my arm so I wouldn’t get in trouble. She still doesn’t know the truth. Maybe I should tell her one of these days.”

This incident got me thinking about secrets I’ve kept to myself over the years and why I felt I had to keep them a secret. My secrets tended to fall into one of three categories: 1) secrets that would have gotten me into trouble if anyone found out, 2) secrets that were too embarrassing to share, or 3) secrets that might hurt someone if they found out. Everyone has secrets. We never want our own to be found out, but we love to find out what other people are hiding.

Here are some fascinating secrets I’ve uncovered.

1) Disneyland has a problem with people trying to scatter the ashes of their loved ones on the haunted mansion ride. Every time it happens they have to close the ride down and call in a hazmat team to clean it up. I only have one question, for these people. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?

2) Apples in the supermarket are dipped in wax before being put out on display so they will look more shiny and appetizing. If you don’t believe me, scrape the blade of a knife against the surface of the apple’s skin and watch as some of the wax comes off. Not very appetizing, eh?

3) The ancient Mayan culture believed chocolate came directly from the gods and considered it sacred. Later on they used cocoa beans (the main ingredient in chocolate) as money. There was a time when it was illegal for anyone but royalty to eat chocolate in Europe. For a short period in history eating chocolate was also officially considered a moral sin. Strangest of all, microwave ovens owe their existence to chocolate. A scientist first got the idea for cooking with microwaves when he discovered a chocolate bar in his pocket had melted when he walked through an experimental machine.

4) When you see those really stupid safety labels on products it is because someone, somewhere actually tried it and the company is legally covering themselves.

Real Examples:
“Remove infant before folding for storage.” – Warning label found on a portable stroller.
"Wearing of this garment does not enable you to fly." – On a label found on a child sized Superman costume.
"Do not put in mouth." -- On a box of bottle rockets.
"Not dishwasher safe." -- On a remote control for a TV.
"Do not iron clothes on body." -- On packaging for an iron.
"Do not use as ear plugs." -- On a package of silly putty.

5) Superstores like Shopko and Walmart have a problem with grown people getting rowdy while playing games such as hide and seek and tag in their store. Sounds like fun actually.

Want to hear one of my secrets? My sister, brother and I almost died in a near head-on collision with a semi-truck while on a road trip together. We didn’t tell our mother about it until ten years after the fact. She still got upset.

Feel the need to unburden yourself of a few secrets? Feel free to do so in the comments below.

Tadpole Update

Once again the tadpole shows his power to pull on the heartstrings of small children. I took the tadpole home for another little break and had a child come to the desk looking for him. This little boy was extremely sad that the tadpole was not there. I asked him if he would like to draw a picture of the tadpole but he decided to write the tadpole a note instead. With great, great care he proceeded to write the little note attached to this post. When I asked him what it said, he informed me the tadpole would know. He then asked me to place the note against the side of the tadpole's tank so he could read it and know he had a friend waiting for him to return to the library. It just doesn't get any cuter than that. And so Berkley now has his first fan letter. I think he's been enjoying looking at it through the glass. I wish he'd tell ME what it says, though.

Some Great Videos

Here are some more of my favorite YouTube videos. (Disclaimer: clicking on the links below will take you to an outside website. I have no control over the external content of that site.)

Woman Freaking Out After Missing Her Flight - You parents of young children think you have it bad? Here is a full grown woman having the father of all hissy fits. You have to see it to believe it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbVw7entkxg


Baby Giving the Evil Look - I about died laughing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQOds0kCgOk&feature=related


Oops! - Remind me never to walk under a loaded crane. One question, where does that guy think he's running off to in such a hurry? Does he think his boss won't catch up with him later?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdCJzO3w7_M&feature=related



Validation - I love this video. It just makes you want to smile after watching it.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbk980jV7Ao


Gymnastics Bloopers - They always make it look so easy in the Olympics. For those who can not stand to see pain inflicted on others--skip this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjNre1yI668


Squirrel Attacks Deer - You have to see this to believe it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRBVh8ZPUyg&NR=1



Halloween Light Show - I would love to have this in my front yard! So how many hours do you think someone spent on programing this thing to make it in sync with the music. More importantly, how much money did they waste on hardware to make this work?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9RLdqzg_AY&feature=related


Christmas Light Show - Raspberry, this one is for you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szLmAPW39uE



R2-D2 Chorus Line - That is a LOT of R2-D2 toys!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weGTZ5VXR4s


Talking Animals - No joke.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skE2dq3cm0A&NR=1

And this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=964uCtgsDoE&feature=related


Mankind is No Island - This one simply touched me. Had to share.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrDxe9gK8Gk&feature=related

Enjoy!

Do You Like REALLY Scary Stories?

Then the young adult book Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman is the book for you. I had a bout with the stomach flu Saturday so I read all the way through this ghost story in one day. What made it so scary? The videos. As the story progresses the main character's best friend sends him emails with videos she has taken. Videos of a ghost. And this ghost is frightening to look at, believe me. The girl sends her friend passwords that you as the reader can use to view them on line as the story progresses. It gives the story an almost real feeling you rarely get while reading a story. I read/watched it during the daytime and I was scared silly. It was a lot of fun though. The videos are so important to the storyline that the book by itself is useless without them. In fact, you have to watch the last video if you want to find out how the story ends, if you can call it an ending. Unfortunately this is only the first book in a series so the story leaves us in a horrible cliffhanger, I'll be having nightmares about for months to come. There is no gore or violence in the context of the story, but this story is much too spooky for younger children. (Heck I'm an adult and at times it was almost too spooky for me.) The most amazing part is the depth the author is willing to go to in making this fiction feel like reality. There is an "unofficial" website (obviously put there by the publisher), Wikipedia entries with more info about the ghost, and even fake newspaper articles you can find if you follow links. There are hidden goodies that appear on the official website but only at different times of the day. According to one fan, the best stuff comes on after midnight. If you like spooky stories don't miss this real treat. And make sure your laptop is handy.


P.S. Karlene, you will want to skip this one. Trust me.

Like it Never Even Happened

Would you believe this is the same door frame my bird trashed three days ago? Amazing! You can't even tell there was ever any damage. Except for the big hole in my pocket book that is. *Sigh*