The Fountain

Mike and I watched this movie last night and I'm still thinking about it, which is the sign of a good movie, if you ask me. Movies that stay with you and make you think for hours or days are often more worthwhile than the type you forget as you're leaving the theatre. I'd recommend the movie if you're interested in "love, death, spirituality, and the fragility of our existence in this world" (summary from imdb.com).

Yes!

Halloween 2008

We had a fun trunk-or-treat party at our church last weekend, with lots of fun stuff:

• kids in costume
  
• games
• a chili cookoff
• a dessert contest
  
• and candy!

On Halloween night itself we hung out with our friends, Heather and Devin, and watched the movie Clue and handed out candy to their trick or treaters. Good times!

Visit from the Bowles parents

Mom and Dad visited October 17th-22nd and we had such a fabulous time! We're so glad that they took the time to come and visit us in central Illinois.

We showed Mom and Dad around campus, including (of course) several libraries. Dad is one of the most curious people I know and he had loads of questions that I couldn't always answer (though I nearly always make an attempt to B.S. some kind of response). It made me think -- maybe this is why librarianship is so right for me.

We went to an Illini football game and they beat Indiana 55-13.
The game was a lot of fun and Memorial Stadium is truly impressive.
At church on Sunday, the children in our congregation presented a special program. I direct the kids' singing (I'm the Primary music leader) and so my parents got to see all the kids that I teach each Sunday. They all did a wonderful job singing and saying their spoken parts.

Last Monday we went to Springfield, IL together to the Abraham Lincoln Museum and Presidential Library and to the Lincoln House (pictured below). This is the home where Abraham and Mary Lincoln lived from 1844-1861 (when they moved to Washington, D.C.).
We spent two days in Chicago together and we got to see Wicked, go on a Chicago Architecture Foundation walking tour, and go to the LDS temple in Chicago. It was an action-packed visit and we all nearly walked our feet off, but it was a fabulous time!

M&M in front of the Chicago Temple
Tiffany glass in the dome of the Chicago Cultural Center -- absolutely stunning!

Homecoming

Alma Mater with an electric guitar. Theme of Homecoming: "Feel the 'Nois." Get it? No? It took me more than a week to catch on: 'Nois is short for Illinois and it sounds like "Noise." Now do you get it? Yeah, me neither.

This is a club that builds high-powered lawn mowers to pull stuff.

This float had the Chief gutting a gopher.

This past weekend was Homecoming at University of Illinois and, sadly, the Illini lost the big game to the Golden Gophers of Minnesota. Too bad. Mike and I went to the parade and enjoyed the floats, marching band, and carloads and carloads full of parade organizers. OK, honestly, I mostly just enjoyed the marching band.

I tried to upload a video of the marching band, but am having trouble "processing" the video. Maybe fate is intervening on your behalf, protecting you from the blast of brass and odd prancing steps of the orange-clad instrumentalists.

Mom and Dad are going to be here for a visit Friday the 17th through Wednesday the 22nd. Can't wait to see them!

Matinee Coat

Here's a look at my latest completed knitting project:
It's a baby sweater, pattern by Debbie Bliss, and it's on its way to Chubbuck, Idaho for a little one born August 30th. It's meant to fit a 3-6 month old -- hopefully the proportions are about right. I love this little sweater. The lacy pattern on the skirt part was a bit tricky, but not too bad. It's definitely one I would make again.

Sarah Palin,, Librarians, and Libraries

I try not to get too political here on our family-friendly blog, because I don't want to start any virtual fist-fights -- BUT I do want to tell you about a couple of library-related Sarah Palin issues that are bugging me.

The first one is merely an annoyance, and it's this: I can't count how many times I've heard Palin's look (the glasses, the bun) described as a "sexy librarian" look. First, this plays into all kinds of stereotypes about what librarians look like. Second, putting the two words together -- sexy librarian -- is redundant. The basic precept of librarianship -- access to knowledge -- is super-sexy. ;)

The other Sarah Palin/library issue that's been bugging me is much more than an annoyance -- it's a bit frightening. Apparently, as a mayor, she approached the town's librarian to find out how to ban books (insert gasp of horror). Then, it seems, she fired the librarian when said librarian didn't offer support for Palin's campaign to ban certain books that had "inappropriate language." Then, after a show of support from the locals, the librarian got her job back. Read about it in a TIME magazine article here. The American Library Association promotes the Freedom to Read and I wholeheartedly embrace their statement on the issue -- which is just another reason I can't support the McCain/Palin ticket.