Royal Wedding Highlights

Pimm's & Lemonade seemed the most appropriate way to toast the occasion.

Bobby Bear was hired to protect the Apple & Rhubarb Pie

One of many diadems to adorn both table and anyone the  who felt like a princess

English Pork Sausages, Mashed Potatoes, Mushy Peas, Veggies & a good drowning in gravy!

We looked forward to the Royal Wedding for many months and felt that our humble offerings honoured the occasion.  It is one that we will look back on with fond memories.  To the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge!

Mahjong

Two months ago I was introduced to Mahjong and I'm hooked!  A game of chance and skill - the version I play involves 3 players.  Our friend Chris, who taught us how to play the game, finally learned the game herself while home in Malaysia this past Chinese New Year.  When she goes back in July, she will learn how to play the 4 player version and share it with us.

Chris and her partner have a proper Mahjong table and of course of full set of the domino sized tiles.  The table has a very smooth surface for ease in manipulating the tiles, and each place has a drawer to keep our "winnings" safe.

We've already established our preferred seats and each time we go over to play we gravitate to the same spot.  Last night I was losing.  Usually we each win a few games and lose a few games, always within a reasonable margin.  My drawer of winnings was almost empty.  Chris said that Chinese tradition says that your luck can change if you go to the toilet and come back, change your underwear (and I was already wearing lucky red), or change your seat in the game. 

I changed seats.  And then I won a game, then two more then another two and pretty soon I had filled up my drawer.  Ultimately I wasn't the overall winner of the night, but that's okay.  It's a bit of  luck and thoughtful strategy which keep the mind sharp and ultimately a great way to spend time with friends.

Any other Mahjong players?

Senate Bill 1716 - Illinois

"Civil union" means a legal relationship between 2 persons,
of either the same or opposite sex, established pursuant to
this Act.

This bill was introduced in Feb 2009 and passed the house in Nov 2010 by a 61-52 margin. It passed the senate on 1 December 2010 by 32-24

It was signed into law by governor Pat Quinn and took effect on 1 June 2011.

It entitles same sex couples to 650 rights afforded to heterosexual couples.

Congratulations Illinois!

H.P and the D.H

As a new school librarian, my friends assumed that I was incredibly well-read - all genres, age levels, topics, etc. - one of the many myths perpetuating the stereotypical librarian - albeit not a negative or derogatory one.

This led to a conversation about an article in the Chicago Tribune. Had I seen this book review that gave a glowing account of this new children's author who was writing an amazing series about a young boy wizard? It's supposed to be the next "big" thing.

October 18, 1998 I purchased my first for $15.25 on Amazon. I was living in Oak Park, IL and I had just finished my library degree 3 months earlier. Working with high school students for the first time, I immediately had a connection, a commonality that bridged the divide between teacher and student.

I was there when it started. Parents wanted me to remove it from the shelves, or not let their child check it out. I saw people from 4 to 84 get tuned it and turned on to reading. Family members thought it was evil. A masterful reading of the tale, the audio version with Jim Dale narrating taught me how to pronounce the spells and place names and start my love of audio books. I went to a midnight first viewing of the movie with my students. I have a partner that I met in 2006 who is an equal if not slightly greater fan than I.

July 16, 2011 - I have Gold Class Tickets to the last "first time" of this series. It will always be in my life. What a treasure.

pedometer 13019

Blog Every Day In June - 11.11

11th Floor - M on Mary, Brisbane - Typing this blog on the kitchen bench so that I have access to the power point. Eating my favourite salty snack. Looking at my pedometer which is 1800 steps short of my daily 10,000 step goal

I was in the Executive Conference Room on the 5th floor of the Queensland State library today. I was typing a note about Tasklists and Widgets in the new Partner Release of ALMA when I looked up at my screen. 11.11 AM

I smiled. It's going to be alright. God? Statistical Probability? Universal laws? A Mental Bookmark of Sorts? Any of these reasons is okay by me...it's positive, reinforcing, harmless and well, magical in a way.

I have very regular occurrences of looking at a clock, any clock at 11.11 both day and night.

I really like the fact that it's 2011 and the month of November will be fantastic.

Here's my first blog. My pedometer reads 12,689 steps for the day, and that's okay too.