Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Score one for the nerds
Congratulations to Neil Gaiman, whose book The Graveyard Book has won the Newbery Medal!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Twitterness!
- 16:39 Whoever said there are no stupid questions never worked in a library. #
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Twitterness!
- 15:15 I hate repeating myself. I hate repeating myself. I hate repeating myself. Pull your head out of la-la land and LISTEN. #
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Twitterness!
- 14:29 Not allowed to "fix" the public computers with my sonic screwdriver (tinyurl.com/974rbu. #
Inauguration Day
We've got a giant TV set up so people can watch the festivities. Also, there are flurries outside! It's an Inauguration Day miracle!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Manners
I was working the reference desk (duh), and I heard a huge belch come from over by the computers. I looked over, figuring it was some dumbass kid, and no. It was a young woman, at least 18 years old and not the least bit embarrassed. What the HELL. At least say, "Excuse me"!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Twitterness!
- 16:02 Kid to mom, in a loud whisper: "SHHHH. Mama! Be quiet!" #
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Foot-in-mouth disease
This woman about my age asked for help printing an email from her computer. I helped her, no big deal, she paid for the printouts. As she was leaving she said, "Your shoes are great, by the way."
"Thanks!" I said.
She continued to walk out the door, and as she went she said this to me:
"They're really 'in style'... not that you care..."
And before I could reply, she was gone.
Earlier this evening, I taught Computers for n00bs. There was a teenage boy and an older couple, Dr. and Mrs. Battleaxe. Dr. Battleaxe was very nice and quiet, and a little timid with the computers. Why? Well, Mrs. Battleaxe was trying to take over teaching him. She was a little swifter than her husband, and I get the impression that it was her idea for him to come to the class, too. Instead of dealing with her own stuff, or helping him in a useful manner, she kept commanding him to do stuff that I was trying to teach.
Me: OK, to copy and paste, highlight the word... good, then click on Edit...
Dr. B: *can't find it*
Mrs. B: Click on Edit. CLICK ON EDIT. EDIT. CLICK ON EDIT.
Dr. B: *confused*
Me: Ma'am... he's fine. *to Dr. B* Here, Edit is in the top lefthand corner of your screen, right here...
Dr. B: Oh, ok...
So it went.
When we were finished with the class, Dr. B. just wanted to go home. Mrs. B. signed up for the next couple of classes, but Dr. B. declined. I hate to think she put him off computers. I hope maybe he'll come in again, and I can get him to sign up for a different, Mrs. B-less session. *sigh*
"Thanks!" I said.
She continued to walk out the door, and as she went she said this to me:
"They're really 'in style'... not that you care..."
And before I could reply, she was gone.
Earlier this evening, I taught Computers for n00bs. There was a teenage boy and an older couple, Dr. and Mrs. Battleaxe. Dr. Battleaxe was very nice and quiet, and a little timid with the computers. Why? Well, Mrs. Battleaxe was trying to take over teaching him. She was a little swifter than her husband, and I get the impression that it was her idea for him to come to the class, too. Instead of dealing with her own stuff, or helping him in a useful manner, she kept commanding him to do stuff that I was trying to teach.
Me: OK, to copy and paste, highlight the word... good, then click on Edit...
Dr. B: *can't find it*
Mrs. B: Click on Edit. CLICK ON EDIT. EDIT. CLICK ON EDIT.
Dr. B: *confused*
Me: Ma'am... he's fine. *to Dr. B* Here, Edit is in the top lefthand corner of your screen, right here...
Dr. B: Oh, ok...
So it went.
When we were finished with the class, Dr. B. just wanted to go home. Mrs. B. signed up for the next couple of classes, but Dr. B. declined. I hate to think she put him off computers. I hope maybe he'll come in again, and I can get him to sign up for a different, Mrs. B-less session. *sigh*
Monday, January 12, 2009
Tax FAQs
Ahhh, tax season. Time for some Frequently Asked Questions.
Q: Where are the tax forms?
A: On the table right behind you, dork.
Q: Which 1040 do I need?
A: I can't advise you on that, but here's the thing the IRS sent us.
Q: Can't you help me?
A: I can show you that instruction sheet, but I can't give tax advice. However, we do have volunteers here every year to help with taxes.
Q: Can you help me file my taxes online?
A: Hell no. However, we do have volunteers here every year to help with taxes.
Q: When are the tax people going to be here?
A: We have no idea. We've been trying to touch base with the tax-help volunteers for about two weeks, and have heard nothing.
Q: But I need my taxes done!
A: Sorry. Keep checking back.
Q: You need to...
A: The volunteers are not affiliated with the library. They just use our space. Sorry.
Q: You're no help at all.
A: Sorry. I'm a librarian, not a CPA. Here's the number for the IRS.
Q: Do you have any 1099 forms?
A: No, and we can't print one out for you from the Web site because it is a carbon-copy form. I hate to tell you this, but you need to contact the IRS. Here's their number.
Q: I have to CALL them?
A: Sorry. Have fun.
Q: But it's April 14th!
A: Sorry, my TARDIS is in the shop.
Q: Where are the tax forms?
A: On the table right behind you, dork.
Q: Which 1040 do I need?
A: I can't advise you on that, but here's the thing the IRS sent us.
Q: Can't you help me?
A: I can show you that instruction sheet, but I can't give tax advice. However, we do have volunteers here every year to help with taxes.
Q: Can you help me file my taxes online?
A: Hell no. However, we do have volunteers here every year to help with taxes.
Q: When are the tax people going to be here?
A: We have no idea. We've been trying to touch base with the tax-help volunteers for about two weeks, and have heard nothing.
Q: But I need my taxes done!
A: Sorry. Keep checking back.
Q: You need to...
A: The volunteers are not affiliated with the library. They just use our space. Sorry.
Q: You're no help at all.
A: Sorry. I'm a librarian, not a CPA. Here's the number for the IRS.
Q: Do you have any 1099 forms?
A: No, and we can't print one out for you from the Web site because it is a carbon-copy form. I hate to tell you this, but you need to contact the IRS. Here's their number.
Q: I have to CALL them?
A: Sorry. Have fun.
Q: But it's April 14th!
A: Sorry, my TARDIS is in the shop.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Twitterness!
- 08:55 World's oldest person credits bacon: www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2009/01/07/coogan.oldest.person.kcal #
- 11:21 Just found out what's inside a tape dispenser. Sand. A lot of it. Oops. #
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Twitterness!
- 19:14 Failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part. #
Monday, January 5, 2009
Twitterness!
- 12:18 Things found in books while weeding: One used "spot"-style adhesive bandage. One-half toothpick. One unidentified blue piece of plastic. #
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)