A psychic website?

My wacky new age sister-in-law sent this, and its accuracy is unnerving. How does it read minds?

Names through history

I found this a while back but forgot about it until Deb's recent name post. This is a little online Java program that shows you how popular different names have been in the US since the 1880s. Just start typing a name and it will make a graph for you based on how common that name was.

For instance, type in "Kaylee" and it'll show you that this name didn't exist before the 1970s, but is now the 41th most popular name for American girls. For boys, "Edgar" was pretty popular in the late-19th century, but began declining and reached a low point in the 1960s. But it's rising in popularity again, and is now about as common as it was in the 1930s.

Although the program is called the Baby Name Wizard, I found it through a writing blog. It would be a great tool for someone writing a period piece novel -- it would tell you not to call your Victorian heroine "Tiffany", or that you shouldn't have a contemporary American adult named "Maddox" because this name was basically unheard of until Angelina Jolie used it for her son in 2002.

internets to deborah: you don't exist!

This is fun! Unless you have a weirdass last name. Howmanyofme.com computes the popularity of your first and last names, then tells you how many other people in the U.S. share your name. Deborah is pretty popular, so I share that with 700,000 or so other women (or maybe men?). But according to the algorithm, ZERO people with my last name live in this country. Does that mean I don't have to pay taxes?

I'm here for the graduate student - holiday edition

Well here I am again, shamelessly self-promoting mostly because I don't want to be known by my undergraduate choir-mates as "that quiet crossword-doing girl that never has anyone at the concerts." So, if you really enjoyed our last concert (or if you feel extra-guilty for not coming) come check out our Holiday Choral Concert on Sunday (that's December 3rd) at 2:00 or 4:00. It's at Luther Memorial Church (on University between Brooks and Mills). If you're one of those people that just can't kick off the holiday season without a rousing rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus, this one's for you!

everyone looked better twenty years ago

Um, so I'm really excited to go to Jonathan Franzen's reading/lecture tonight. And I'll probably read his new book. And The Corrections will probably remain one of my favorite postmodern novels. And I still think it's funny and awesome that he refused Oprah's book club invitation. But--cripes! For the holy love of Mary and Joseph, could the man take a new author photograph and stop his publicist from sending out this headshot from 1987? Yes, Mr. Franzen, you took a good picture that one time that made you appear to be pretty darn attractive. But now it's time to let go...

Top of My Wish List:

Temporary Librarian Tattoos. Need I say more?

Shushin' Freak

Ms. Dewey has inspired me to write a song about real librarians, the kind we know and love. The kind who read lots of books, are patient with patrons, and wear sensible shoes.

After a few failed attempts at "Don't Cha Wish Your Girlfriend Knew LCC?", I took a slightly different tack. The result: "Shushin' Freak", in the style of Rick James.

I hope, in the spirit of the holiday, that this makes you feel thankful. Thankful that you don't actually have to hear me sing this song out loud.

(Ahem. Do re mi fa so la te SHHHHH!)

She's a very mousy girl,
The kind who dresses like your mother.
She will never turn your questions down,
Once she's workin' at the desk.
Oh girl!
She likes the books that are banned,
She says that Twain's her all-time favorite.
When I make my move to the stack's it's the right time,
She always wants to read.

{Refrain}
That girl is pretty quiet now,
The girl's a shushin' freak.
The kind of girl you read about,
In Booklist Magazine.
That girl is pretty mousy,
The girl's a shushin' freak.
She's always got a new book,
Every time we meet.
She's all right, she's all right,
That girl's all right with me,
Yeah!

She's a shushin' freak, shushin' freak,
She's shushin' people, yow!
(Everybody read.)
Shushin' freak, shushin' freak.

She's a very special girl,
(The kind of girl you want to know)
From her bun down to her Oxfords.
(Down to her feet, yeah.)
And she'll wait for me at Borders with her girlfriends,
In a cardigan.
(Going back to New Fiction.)
Three's not a crowd to her, she says.
"College Library, we'll be waiting."
When I get there, she's got coffee, books, and journals,
It's a whole book club scene.

{Refrain}

{Bridge}

She's a shushin' freak, shushin' freak,
She's shushin' people, yow!

Archivists sing!
(Shhhhhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuush!)
Shushin' freak, shushin' freak,
That girl's a shushin' freak.
(Shhhhhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuush!)

She's a very mousy girl,
The kind who dresses like your mother.
And she will never turn your questions down,
Once she's workin' at the desk.

Go, Dewey!

{horn solo}

Ms. Dewey

Great posts, Bitches! And so much more fun to read than texts on constructing lesson plans for info lit.

Ms. Dewey, apparently, is the face of the new Microsoft search engine. Her appearance does much to eliminate the frumpy librarian stereotype, but she is as bitchy and impatient as those mean little bun-wearing old ladies ever were. She just has found new ways to express her frustration, one might say. I gather that she too would benefit from one of Annie's little gadgets.

In other news, an article in Sunday's New York Times revealed that the director of the NY Public Library system earns over $800,000/year to fund-raise for the supposedly destitute organization! Linking to the NYT can be tricky because of that free registration thing, but go on over and check it out.

Two of my favorite things

Stevie Wonder + Sesame Street = AWESOME!

Take note children's librarians: this is high quality programming!

Global Orgasm Day!

I just want to post this now, so we can all prepare for this momentous day. Do what you need to, but this is a serious effort. If we are ever going to fight this war we have to have more sex.

Check out the website: www.globalorgasm.com


Make love not war, man.

No more flamingos...and a social network for nerds

So in the NYT today, there's a sad story that mentions our illustrious institution:

ON Nov. 1, just two months shy of its 50th birthday, the plastic pink flamingo went extinct. Or more accurately, it stopped reproducing, when its manufacturer, Union Products, shut down the factory in Leominster, Mass.... In the 1970s, my rebel generation of middle-class baby boomers adopted the plastic bird to challenge the boundaries of high art and good taste. The gay male subculture made it a mascot, and in 1979 the student government at University of Wisconsin planted a thousand flamingos on the lawn outside the dean’s office.

Also, Katie K caught me being a huge nerd, and here's the proof. And I quote, "LibraryThing is also an amazing social space, often described as 'MySpace for books' or 'Facebook for books.'"

Book It, Bitches

This is fun: Book It, the fabulous library/Pizza Hut collaboration from our youth is looking for fond memories. I used to LOVE those personal pan pizzas!

And yes, I am on Pizza Hut's emailing list. Not quite sure why or how...

Love notes

This is a scan of the note we found on the floor of the concert hall after Katie's choir concert. It tells a touching story of young love, porn, and handjobs between "Annie" (presumably not our Annie) and "Rick" (a young man so horny he cannot spell the word "ridiculous").

Sorry it's not a better quality image -- I tried to clean it up as best I could, but when a note is this DIRTY there's only so much you can do!

(Click on the images to see a bigger, more readable version.)

If I seem (more) insane in the near future....

Here's a big ol' list of things to do to "connect with your inner child," or rather "convince people you are completely and totally in need of imediate psychiatric help."

nextgen

I kind of think that the Bush twins' antics are looking less like a quarter-life crisis and more like preparation for library school.

Our HERO is BACK!

As discussed at last weeks happy hour... The Librarian returns this fall with, The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines. This fine movie airs Dec. 3! Be sure to pre-order your DVD copy.

You know it'll be good with Jonathan "Number One" Frakes directing.

Anyone willing to host a viewing party?

Ceiling cat

I know this will not amuse all of you, but I have a soft spot for cats doing wierd stuff. Look at the bottom of the page, ceiling cat knows all!!

caption contest results: doug earns one beer, must share with anne.

"Kids, I've got bad news. I've lost my job and the flow of corrupt money that came with it. We're destitute. I have no choice but to sell you all for medical experiments. Don't cry! I'll never let them get your stem cells!"
[I'm afraid this new photo and my reaction to it proves that I'm emotionally stunted. Or I've been reading too much fug. My first thought: what kind of loser coordinates the plaid in their jumper, headband and DOLL CLOTHES?!]

If I Was Your Mother

I have no link for this post, and to be honest I don't really have a point either. I just have to share.

As some of you heard last night, I was recently stunned to learn that Bon Jovi had a song called "If I Was Your Mother". Someone at work has the entire Keep the Faith album (best known for "Bed of Roses") in their iTunes library, and this particular title caught my eye. I figured it had to be a mislabeled file, but no. There actually is a Bon Jovi song in which ol' Jon Boy wails away about his fantasy of being some chick's mother so he'll be able to tuck her in at night, hear all her secrets, and be closer to her than anyone else.

I remember the popular music of 1992 pretty well (the Billboard Hot 100 for the year includes "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "November Rain", and of course the classic "Baby Got Back"), but I have no memory of hearing "If I Was Your Mother" at that time. And believe me, this is the kind of song that sticks in your mind. And your craw.

Sample lyrics:

Tell me there's no other,
To who you're telling your secrets.
And would you tell me,
'Bout all the boys you been
Bringing home to meet me.

Tell me what I got to do,
To make my life mean more to you.
I could get so close it's true,
If I was your...
Mother! (Mother!)
If I was your...
Mother! (Mother!)

It may be the single most disturbing song I've ever heard. I didn't know whether to laugh or hurl. (Okay, I eventually decided on laughing, and spent the next four minutes giggling like a maniac.) The questionable grammar and standard hair metal guitar solo didn't help.

Mutual Respect and Admiration

Santorum Will Rise Again, Bitches

It looks like the Village Voice has taken advice from the SLIS blog about titling articles.

Happy Birthday, Katie K!

How's THIS for a birthday present? Woo-hoo!

but the rest of america is pretty effing awesome

Dude, we won the House! And we at least tied but probably won the Senate! And more governorships (except in stupid Minnesota, where Ass-hat Pawlenty won by about 2.5 votes)!

Let's lift our spirits! I propose a caption contest. For this picture of Ass-hat Santorum and his fifty bawling children (via Wonkette, via Flickr):

I'll buy the winner a beer a Karaoke Kid.

Why Wisconsin sucks.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page if you don't know what I'm talking about.

PopoZao OUT!?

Looks like Brittney has come to her beautiful senses. I saw her on Letterman last night--back in good form I must say! Now that K-Fed is out...I'd be willing to be "Mr. Spears." Love is Love afterall!

cheney's got a gun

Is this some kind of last ditch GOP scare tactic for election day? Like, if you vote DFL, not only do the terrorists win, you'll also get a face full of buckshot?

Vote Bitches!

Not registered yet? In Wisconsin, you can do it at the polls! Here is what you need to bring.

Don't know where to vote? Check here.

If you are voting in Dane County, remember to turn your ballot over! Some of the most important measures appear on the BACK of the ballot.

OED in the NYT

Excellent article on everyone's fave ginormous reference work. (Think ginormous in in there somewhere?)

Here's a little preview:

"Cyber-Neologoliferation"

Air kiss is defined with careful anatomical instructions plus a note: “sometimes with the connotation that such a gesture implies insincerity or affectation.”

Builder’s bum is reportedly Brit. and colloq., “with allusion to the perceived propensity of builders to expose inadvertently this part of the body.”

No one is particularly proud of the new entry as of December 2003 for nucular, a word not associated with high standards of diction. “Bizarrely, I was amazed to find that the spelling n-u-c-u-l-a-r has decades of history,” Gilliver says. “And that is not to be confused with the quite different word, nucular, meaning ‘of or relating to a nucule.’ ” There is even a new entry for miniscule; it has citations going back more than 100 years. Yet the very notion of correct and incorrect spelling seems under attack. In Shakespeare’s day, there was no such thing: no right and wrong in spelling, no dictionaries to consult. The word debt could be spelled det, dete, dett, dette or dept, and no one would complain.

karaoke?

I've heard the rumors...when is this happening???!!!

To whomever schedules this night of excitement: can you be sure to accomodate Kelly's schedule? Girlfriend has told some stories and I want to see her in action!

Pucker Up

I know that most of you are recovering from a suger hangover, but I am bringing you more candy! This clip is priceless--particularly the little kiddies and the guy in the plaid shirt (is he overacting or is he just that animated?!)

Yum-O.

Oh no

Good news for those of you who worried that your skinny jeans weren't revealing enough. Now we're allowed to wander around with our tushes exposed to the world. Hooray!

The Wanderer er er er er er!!!

(The title is supposed to be an echo, in case you're wondering)

This video was on the Isthmus website. Apparently people in Madison had way too much time on their hands in the 80s.

The music is the best part.

Clap Hands!

Anyone else catch this? It's freaking awesome: