Lest I Forget

You would have thought from that last post that only my mother's family enlisted. That is not true. It just happens that my mother's family talks more about it's past. My father's family is less open and has a greater spread in age. 

It's weird to think that in World War 1 my grandfather would have been considered too old to enlist even though he was in his 30's. At the time life expectancy would have been about 60. By the time WW2 came my father's oldest brother was eligible and enlisted right away. He however never left Canada, spending the war working at a supply depot in the maritimes. This was a vital and necessary job yet unless you were a 'fighting man' there seemed to be less honour in it. My uncle never spoke of his enlisted time but I often wonder how these people who sent supplies, mail and people, often to their doom, felt. They were also the ones who handled the mail to loved ones and the death notices.

My father's next older brother managed to enlist at the age of 16 by being extremely tall and lying about his age. He was trained and waiting in Halifax, within a week of sailing to Britain, when the war ended. Again, because he never fought on he field of battle he didn't consider himself a veteran. 

The fact that they were willing to enlist, to fight and possibly die in a faraway country for their country and ideals makes them worthy of respect and admiration. I wish they were around for me to thank.

My father was not even 10 when the war started. His father passed when he was little. He never fought but he did what many families did, he along with my grandmother, supported the war effort on the home front. One of the things he did as an adult, and continues doing to this day, is support the local Legion. Yes, that does mean going down and having a few with the boys, but it also means volunteering to help with fundraising, spending money at fundraisers, helping vets get to appointments or simple to get groceries. Even in his seventies, he remembers what it was like at home during and after the war. The damage that was inflicted and the support that was needed and continues to be needed. 

Care, Attention and Support. They will always be needed by those who serve and by the families that let them.

Remembrance Day

For today I shed a tear,

for those who've left us standing here,

To thank them for the sacrifice

Of dying to protect our life

Not perfect but heart felt. Remembrance Day may have started as a way of commemorating the "Great War" but it had already evolved into a way of remembering all veterans of armed conflicts, long before the "official" move. 

My children used to ask why I watch the ceremony in Ottawa rather than attend the local one. Each year they have watched me dissolve into tears as the ceremony goes on and they now just sit and watch with me. Once I watched the ceremony because it let me "remember" at the same time as my parents and I could call and we could talk. 

My mother's uncles enlisted in the RAF at the beginning of WW2, before Canada had entered the war. They flew as part of a bomber crew, although having 2 brothers on the same crew was unusual. I remember interviewing one of them when I was about 8 or 9 for a class project about their participation in the war. Looking back on it now I realize how difficult it must have been for him to talk to me, and the other cousins that were there. We had to stop as he became very emotional, saying " we don't talk about it, we don't talk about it..." I don't remember what question I asked but his response will stay with me forever. A sign of his times - ignore the mental pain inflicted, if you have no physical injury you're fine.

My mother's youngest brother enlisted  in the Air Force out of high school. He was stationed in many places throughout Europe and Canada, even serving in Cypress. He was even given the honour of standing guard at the War Memorial during a Remembrance Day ceremony. While his Air Force career did not include periods of large conflict, his UN career included the first peace keeping missions to The Middle East. We as a family were happy he was on the home side of the supply chain. However he knew many in harm's way, including a few who lost their lives. He participates in his local ceremony to show support for those that serve now and in the past. Our family goes to show their support for him, to remember family members and friends who have served and to show support for those that have served and currently serve. 

A number of my friends enlisted after high school. I considered it myself. At the time women were not in combat and had limited options of what they could do. That didn't appeal to me. Some of them are still in the military, others have left to go onto other things. None were killed but all have some tale to tell. Now I have friends with children who have enlisted and they are in active conflict zones. Remembrance Day now includes my thoughts for these people, their strength, their hurts and their safety.

That is what Remembrance Day should be, remembering the past, thinking of the present and pondering the future. We need to be thinking of the people who lost lives, were injured in body and spirit, who stood up anyway to defend ideals that matter more now then ever. Peace, freedom, family, country are important. The world and the people in it need us all to be willing to stand up as a whole and say No More.

Lest we forget.

And it comes to an end

As has become obvious my intention to blog each day in June was not a resounding success. I have however managed to blog more this month than the entire of last year. Of course none of these blog posts were stunningly fantastic. The process did remind me that I do not use writing as a way to record, review or evaluate. I regularly mull over things but I never write them down.

It's interesting to see how education, even society, has changed. Once the focus was on reading, writing and arithmetic. Now the focus is educating kids to become creators. There used to be a path the majority followed. Now we understand that we ( society & individuals) need people to follow a variety of paths. It's that variety that makes life vibrant and nurturing. Success is measured in a variety of ways now that go beyond a single target of monetary wealth, ideal family and social standing. 

Yes we are all on a path, but that path can change at any moment. Success has become a continuously moving target. What society sees as success today may be different tomorrow.

So move along your path in life, but don't be afraid to cut a new trail when you need to. Remember to document it so others can learn from your journey.

Approaching the New Year

There is something about this time of year that makes me look back.
As the saying goes "the more things change, the more things stay the same." The year has been filled with many small changes that have kept the same old, same old running smoothly. :-) Cause at this stage in my life I appreciate things running smoothly and not having huge changes to adapt to. Adapting to the many small life changes that getting older (both us and our family members) has brought us has been enough. Life has given us a temporary period of relative calm this year. Which means bigger changes are on the horizon of course. Changes that hover just over your shoulder, out of sight, waiting...
I can say with absolute certainty that it has been a good year for myself and my family. Thank you.

It is also time to look forward.
I could make a list of resolutions, goals etc. and I should, but right now my mind is focused on the less concrete "feels."
I hope my sons continue to work hard in their jobs, but I also hope that they find a passion, goal, focus (or multiple) to balance their lives. It could be post secondary education. It could be a re dedication to a sport/health. It could be a new relationship (romantic or otherwise). I hope they find something new to bring joy into their lives.
I hope that my husband and I can continue to grow our lives together, supporting each other as changes come our way. I hope that our family, extended family and friends have a year that brings them joy and that we can continue to support them as they face their own challenges.
I guess that is what it comes down to... I hope.

I wonder what she's trying to tell me.

This is Tiger.
She is a 17 year old Manx cross that we've had since she was a kitten. Yes, an orange female cat is rather rare. Tiger has been a house cat right from the beginning and up until this year she has been quite content with that. This year has seen her fighting to get outside more and more often. Some days she gets ambitious and wanders under the raspberries and other days she just lays in the sun. She does NOT like grass and refuses to walk on it so her walks around the yard can be quite creative.
But it's on days like today when I wonder if she's trying to tell me something.

It's a Library

I am very luck to have 2 adult helpers for the summer reading programs this year. It will be especially important this year because I had to break the program into smaller programs (I choose to do it according to age but I will be flexible for family groups) due to the small size of our temporary space.
One of my helpers was our STEP person (gov't grant for students) last year. When we broke up for activities and crafts she would take the older kids and they had a book club like discussion of what they were reading, talked about fav authors, etc. Cassidy, who is a communications student, also did writing tips and other creative stuff with them. She doesn't qualify for our STEP position this year (she took a year off to go travelling, luck duck) but she wanted to be involved. So she will be hosting the Teen Book Club that we're having on Thursday nights. I'll be taking what I learned from her last year and applying it to a half hour Teen Book Club Tuesday afternoons, and a book club for ages 10 to 12 also on Tuesdays.
My other helper, Jenna, is a student teacher who will be going into her last year of school. While I have known her for years (she's the same age as my eldest son) I have never worked with her. I wanted to use her skills so I offered her the opportunity to do some of the program planning and a chance to take the lead on running some of the programs. I gave her copies of my planning documents, schedule and resource materials that I use. She is quite excited about the opportunity. For me, the best moment was when she indicated she wanted to see me in action first.
Why is this important? It is important because she recognizes that this is NOT a classroom. My focus for any of my programs is to foster an enjoyment of the library as a place to be, and then to foster reading as a FUN activity. As I tell the kids, and their parents, I don't care if they read cereal boxes as long as they read something.
Too many kids, and their parents, view reading as work. A person's ability to read well improves their quality of life. Like all skills, if you don't use it, you lose it. If you don't enjoy something, you will do as little of it as possible. If that something is reading... I think you can see where I'm going with this.
Don't get me wrong, I think teachers do amazing work and they are often under appreciated. Public libraries, and the staff that do programming, are an unrecognized partner in developing and maintaining EVERYONE's reading ability. I'm hoping that Jenna's time with me will show her that there are partners in the community that can help support what she will be doing in the classroom. And if she becomes aware then hopefully she'll share that insight with her fellow teachers.

Interesting Stuff

Every month or so I go through the various bookmarks, notes and starred websites, articles etc. that I've come across but haven't had the time to read yet.
I have a tendency to keep links "just in case" they might come in handy for the various reports and newsletters I do. If I think that it might be of interest to someone (coworker, friend, family member) I'll send it off to them.
I started going through the list last night and a few things that I will be keeping:
The 40 Developmental Assets for Adolescents
Support Video Games: Get a Library Card
Summer Reading Flow Chart
Cory Doctorow Vivid Sydney Keynote
(I love Cory's talks. Thought provoking ideas presented in an entertaining style.)

What have you read lately?

It's Cold Outside

I'm sitting at my kitchen table wrapped in a blanket. The furnace hasn't cut off for more than 5 minutes all morning (possibly all night.) When it is -35C out, the drawbacks to living in a 40 year old trailer become very apparent, even if it is affordable.

In a weird way it seems rather appropriate that this is the day that so many websites, in the US and beyond, are demonstrating against the US government's SOPA bill.
I won't rehash what others have said (and done a better job than I could) about the drawbacks of the bill. I will direct you to Michael Geist's blog and his Huff Post column for more information.
The world is extremely interconnected. What the US government is attempting with SOPA (and PIPA) is to strong arm the rest of the world into doing things THEIR way. Seems like a rather dictatorial move from a country that prides itself in it's democracy.

Good Reads

Boing Boing will go dark on January 18 to fight SOPA - great explanation of SOPA by Cory Doctorow
Also from Cory Doctorow is The Coming War on General Computation.
Ned Potter, over at thewikiman, has a great post about spoon feeding students. It isn't the standard argument.
Shawn Ram has a post, It shouldn't be about the NUMBER, on his blog Learning to Lead, Inspiring to Change, that should be mandatory reading for all parents.

What the Heck?

I posted on Tuesday from my Ipod Touch. Yesterday went to heck in a handbasket so I didn't end up posting. Now I see that Tuesday's post has disappeared. :(
Technology... helpful, when it WORKS.

What Happened to August?

I think I'll cut myself some slack since I've been sick for the last few days, but what about the last few weeks?
My boss has recently implemented a chart where we track all events, meetings, exam invigilation, etc. We have to include the date, what it is, attendance if it is an event, length and who attended. She can then print this out for the library board so they have a clearer idea what we are doing and how much time it takes to do.
Of course it's not perfect. It can't take into account the discussions in passing, that can solve a problem or provide a Eureka! moment. With 4 part time staff we each take the lead in different areas and for different events/projects, but the rest are there to help them get it done.
What does that have to do with the last few weeks? If it weren't for that chart I may have forgotten there were summer reading program wrap-ups, space planning meetings, newsletter preparation, exams and more. Add to that, just getting through the day in a busy tourist town and it's no wonder I finally got sick. (It didn't help that both my sons brought some bug home from work too)
So I'm sitting at home trying to get some paperwork done for work. The job may be part time but occasionally the paperwork is full time. And as we all know, paperwork waits for no man.
Now where is that cough syrup...

Wondering

It sounded like a simple question.
@barbaramcveigh thanked me for retweeting something of hers then asked "Has it been a busy summer in your library?" I responded with yes and how there were lots of families in town for sports camps and that the following week would be the local rodeo, which would bring in more people.
I think about that now and realize how differently our library operates from most others. With a community of about 4000 year round residents, 1500 temporary workers (3 months to a year) and a visitor count of almost 2 MILLION people each year, our plans always include a tourist component.
As we work on space planning for the library expansion I realize each and every space will have to have multiple uses depending on the time of day, time of year and individual needs. Noisy/quiet, young/old, individual/group needs all have to be met. Resident/temporary worker/tourist are also needs that have to be met.
Going through this process has been good for me. It has made me look at things with the "what else could this be used for" question in the for front of my mind. We do so many things right now that I don't want to muck that up...

New Literacy?

I was browsing through Twitter this morning and followed the link on Tamara Van Horne's (@tamaravh) tweet to an article discussing whether gaming is teaching kids a new literacy. As a gamer and the mom of 2 gamers I've never had the negative view of video gaming that many others have. The article by Dakshana Bascaramurty on the Globe and Mail blog is a great introduction to this topic for the average parent. For me however, it highlights something that I have yet to see addressed.
Society has changed, we are more urban, more technologically connected than ever before. People in general are outside less, and interacting with nature less. Most times when kids are outside they're being shuttled to and from different locations/activities. They do NOT have the freedom that their parents/grandparents had, to roam their neighbourhoods, to explore their environments in an interest-lead way (to borrow some current eduspeak), to get dirty and to have fun.
Modern gaming, whether online, on computers, consoles or handhelds, allow people that freedom. People have a NEED to explore, get dirty and have fun. Modern life makes it next to impossible to do these things in the way of previous generations. This is just a new way to do it. So to me modern gaming isn't teaching kids a new literacy, it's just giving them a different way to learn, from that used by previous generations.

It Just Hit Me...

that youngest son is really done high school. He received notice this week that he passed his diploma exams woohoo! This means there will be a fancy piece of paper coming soon for him to put on the wall. It also means we're done homeschooling.
Once the last textbooks have been sent back, I'll have 7 years of stuff to go through and decide what to do with. Everywhere I look in our house there is something we got for homeschooling. Each piece has memories, both good and bad, associated with it. Each a step on a path that took a lot of planning, effort, commitment and emotions.
I'm going to miss it. We won't have that common focus to our days. He will be staying home this fall and working, but our days will no longer be linked.
Change comes whether we`re ready or not. I wonder where it will take me.

Thinking about Writing

I've come to the conclusion that just going through the process of mentally drafting blog or Twitter posts is therapeutic for me. The mental processes help me deal with things that I'm wrestling with. Often by the time I'm done, I don't feel the need to post. Which is great for my mental health, but it also means I don't have much on my blog or Twitter feed as I might.

Change

Let's see if I can make this one stick.

I read a lot, both online and off. Today I had several thoughts.

The fire at Slave Lake has caused a great deal of destruction and my heart hurts for those who have lost their homes and/or businesses. It could have been so much worse. This devastating event needs to be looked at as an opportunity for change if the people of Slave Lake are to recover.

One of the things the community lost was it's beautiful, new library. Punch Jackson wrote an excellent tweet "During #SlaveLake rebuild a "temporary" library may be required for community info, access to computers(and), leisure reading". At first I was "leisure reading"? But it makes sense. So many people have lost their homes, they have nothing. Others will need a place to escape the stress. A temporary library could help rebuild the community's spirit.

On Twitter I have also been following the #falmac11 symposium and #inplay11 conference tweets. While one was for library staff and the other for teachers as I read my twitter feed some of the posts could have come from either event. I hope there were educators at #falmac11 and library staff at #inplay11. The ideas shared have value to both fields. The feeling that things need to change, in both areas, has risen to a feverpitch. Yet it's like we have reached the edge of a cliff that we know we have to go over, but haven't quite gathered up enough courage to jump. If we don't make a move soon, it won't matter. The push from behind will drive us over.

Down

Maybe the grey weather has something to do with it.
Maybe I'm just due for a break.
I'm feeling disconnected.

Haven't spoken to my best friend in weeks (she lives far away). When I did catch her at home she was just welcoming visitors so we couldn't talk.
My local friends are in a different place in their lives (new jobs, young children etc.) and we don't spend time together very often.
There is drama going on that is affecting work but no one tells me anything because they assume I'm hearing things from "the other side". Or they're making assumptions about my allegiances, which I don't have because I don't know what is going on. (nothing worse than having a conversation with someone who assumes you have the details when you don't even have the broad outline)
I have no idea what's happening with the library expansion, partially because I'm not often around when the boss is around. (Really makes me feel out of the loop)

My youngest son is making all these plans for grad, but I'm not sure he's going to get through the courses.

I have all these feelings sitting in a pit in my stomach but no way to deal with them. I need to get them out or at least find a way to deal with the stress.

Better than I could say it

I love it when I run across a blog post, news article or some such that says what I'm thinking in a more articulate way.

Jeff Sabo, over at Just a Bald Man, has an excellent post on video games and their positive values. Now I have a great link that shows I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE who thinks this way. Thanks Justin for passing this on.

JP's post over at 8BitLibrary.com  on what types of media belong in a library came on the heels of a discussion in our library on this very topic.Why do we think storytelling in certain forms is more appropriate for a library? Is it a residual effect of the libraries as fortresses of literature mind set?

Too many things lately have me shaking my head asking "what are people so afraid of?"

The Reading List

Through out the week as I check my RSS feeds, Twitter and travel down various internet paths I build a reading list for Sunday (happens to be my "day off", you know other than the laundry, dishes, cleaning etc.) These links are for things I didn't get a chance to check out, things I want to read/see again, or things that link to other things I think might be of interest. I've noticed that this list is growing longer and longer as the weeks go by. So long in fact that I don't think I'll have time to go through all of this week's list.
Which makes me ask how can anyone possibly think using computers and the internet means you read less?

Time for a cuppa

It used to be that sitting down for a cup of tea meant I was reading, writing or relaxing. Now I've noticed that cup of tea is a pick-me-up, keep-going, on-the-run drink.

Surprisingly, my stress level isn't up. Time management may play a part but ultimately I think it has come down "bad" habits. I've let "multi-tasking" creep into too many areas of my life. 
Sure doing the laundry, the dishes and making supper at the same time is possible, even desirable. It has to be balanced, however, with those times of singular focus.

As a parent, I feel a need to be able to successfully model that behaviour so my boys will learn to incorporate that into their lives. By including it in my life, it makes striking a balance as a couple easier for my husband and I. Even in the work place, my striving for balance can positively influence my coworkers, our members and the environment as a whole.

Forgetting to look and think about that balance frequently, allows me to slip into some "bad" habits. Just like we need to pay attention to diet and exercise, we need to pay attention to balance.