An idle mind*

Recently I’ve had a lot of time to catch up on my (mostly chick-lit) reading. This also means I’m putting all my library memberships to good use (all 4 of them) -
• The library for the city where we now live
• The library for the city where I now work
• The library system for the general area we used to live and work in
• The library system for the general area we now live in

(During one of my recent crazy “putting books on my hold list” sprees, I also signed up for a card at the library in the city where I volunteer a few hours a week. Luckily I later found the same book while browsing one of my “regular” libraries, so I didn’t bother picking up my library card from the other place.)

For a while I kept track of all my books and videos the usual way. They would stay in the backseat of my car till the library emailed me a courtesy notification a few days before they were due. And then, there would be a mad scramble to either read, renew or return whatever I could. Till one day, inspiration (or boredom) struck. Now I have my own tracking system in excel.

The Summary
This is where I get an overall picture of what I have checked out and when they’re due.
From here, I can also link to the library website to check my account. I can also click anywhere in the table showing the breakdown to get more details on those specific items.

The Details
This is a list of all the items I have checked out and when they’re due. The light blue shading is for books I’m done reading and the light yellow is for the ones I’m currently reading.
The purple shading in the “Due Date” column marks due dates that are in the next 3 days.
The pink in the last column tells me I need to read / renew / return those items – it’s a combination of items with a due date in the next 7 days and status of “Not yet started” or “Work in Progress”.
Needless to say, I'm very pleased with myself. I have also realized I might be spending more time "refining" my tracking sheet than I spend actually reading all those books I borrowed!


* is, in my case, apparently an excel workshop!

The timing is not quite right

I was on my way back home at around 5 PM when I saw this sign on the freeway -



Looks like Caltrain has to try harder to convince people to take the train instead of driving.

That's so C....

Z: E, we need to talk. I have to tell you something.
E: Do you want to play my game?
Z: Yes. But I don't like it when you call me that. I want you to stop.
E: But you are......
Z (on the verge of tears): But I don't like it. (to me) Can you ask E to stop?
At this point I'm trying very hard not to laugh. I make a serious face to match the situation and say in my best "grown-up voice" - "E, stop calling Z that. Z, maybe E will stop saying that if you stop paying attention to her".
The word that was causing all the trouble? Cute of course!

Imitation is the best form of flattery?!

Z: I need a tissue.
E: I need a tissue.
Z: My nose is dripping.
E: My nose is dripping.
Z: Please.
E: Please.
Me: Z, here you go. E, you do not need a tissue – your nose is fine*.
Z: Can I have some water? I’m thirjty.
E: Can I have some water. I’m thirty.
Me: (sigh)

A couple of days later, all the other kids are inside for story-time except E & R.
Me: E, what are you doing out here? The story’s about to start.
E: I have sand in my shoe.
R: I have sand in my shoe.
E: No, I have sand in my shoe.
R: No, I have sand in my shoe.
E: Why’re you copying me? I don’t understand why you constantly** keep copying me
Me: (sigh)

* - even though it was coloured black and had ‘whiskers’ drawn near it.
** - a little difficult to believe since it was R’s second day there and that was the first time I saw them both play together

That explains it !

No wonder they call this part of town Paradiso.