This is turning into a regular feature!

Sweet Jesus. Except if this person was really a patron, the note would be laser printed.

We just enjoyed some of these homemade Heath®-like treats, and you should, too.

Saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
6 oz. chocolate chips (or better/darker chocolate, if you prefer)

Preheat oven to 350°F
Lay saltines flat on cookie sheet until it’s completely covered. Set aside.
Boil the butter and brown sugar together in a saucepan for 3 minutes.
Quickly pour the butter mixture over, and spread to cover, the crackers.
Bake in 350°F oven for 5 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Wait a couple minutes for chips to soften, then spread evenly over bars.
After they’re completely cooled, break apart and serve.

We used a combination of semi-sweet chips and Trader Joe’s 72% chocolate.

The traditional patron saints of librarians: Saint Jerome (was a translator, which sort of relates to books) Saint Catherine (associated with wisdom and learning), Saint Lawrence of Rome (was the keeper of the treasures of the church, so a sort of archivist). Saint Lawrence of Rome is the only one of traditional three I really like, was librarianlike in several ways: sold church treasures to serve the poor (budgeting for service), when asked to turn over the church’s wealth to the government, he presented the poor (patrons as the treasure of the library), when martyred on a gridiron, he let his tormentors know when he was done on one side, so they could turn him over (gallows humor).

Saints who were actually librarians or did librarian tasks:
Aldhelm of Sherborne: stood on the town’s bridge and told stories and sang songs to attract people, then added religious lessons at the end (like school visits and storytime), wrote clever and obscure verse (word nerd), “his reading was extensive–so extensive that he has been described as the first English librarian” (bibliophile)
Gregory II: Helped St Nothelm in the archives (researcher)
Bruno of Segni: was librarian of the Holy See
Notker Balbulus: Librarian of St. Gall’s Abbey, anthologist, “Notker’s emblem in art is a rod. He can be recognized as a Benedictine with a book in one hand and a broken rod in the other with which he strikes the devil.” (like managing library behavior?)
Cyril (monk): librarian at the church of Santa Sophia, invented an alphabet called glagolitic (word nerd), language geek and translator

From a 1950s Readers Digest:

What’s Your M – F Rating?

The quiz below was prepared by the author along the lines of the scientific 500 item Terman-Miles tests. Give yourself one point for every “A” answer, two for every “B.”

1. Would you rather — (A) work for a pleasant boss; (B) work for yourself?
2. Which do you consider holds the greatest hope for the world — (A) religion, (B) science?
3. Which do you like better — (A) music; (B) sports?
4. When buying a new car, which is more important to you — (A) design; (B) engine?
5. Do you prefer — (A) having decisions made for you; (B) to make your own?
6. Men are more successful because of their — (A) appearance; (B) capability?
7. Are your feelings often easily hurt — (A) yes; (B) no?
8. Which do you enjoy more — (A) poetry; (B) detective stories?
9. Have you a great fear of fire — (A) yes; (B) no?
10. Which interests you more — (A) art; (B) politics?
11. Does impolite language annoy you — (A) yes; (b) no?
12. Would you rather be — (A) conventional; (B) startling?
13. Which of these dogs would you rather own — (A) poodle; (B) boxer?
14. Do you like to go to parties and dances — (A) yes; (B) no?
15. Have you ever cried at the movies — (A) yes; (B) no?
16. Do practical jokes annoy you — (A) yes; (B) no?
17. Which does a woman need more — (A) clothes; (B) intelligence?
18. Do you resent persons using nicknames — (A) yes; (B) no?
19. Would you rather — (A) sell in a store; (B) sell outside?
20. If your lights went out, would you — (A) call the electric company; (B) try to fix them yourself?
21. Do you like to buy antique furniture — (A) yes; (B) no?
22. Do you prefer mingling with people more intelligent than yourself — (A) yes; (B) no?
23. Is it hard for your to get up as soon as you awake — (A) yes; (B) no?
24. Does soiled table linen disgust you — (A) yes; (B) no?
25. Do you feel pity for a drowning bee — (A) yes; (B) no?

Score chart:
25-31 Very feminine
32-36 Feminine
37-43 Good feminine-masculine mixture
44-47 Masculine
48-50 Very masculine

It is sad how overjoyed I was to see this web site. I need to somehow install it in my house, though.

Take a moment from your life to enjoy “Kidney Thieves”

Kidney Thieves from Toby Wilkins on Vimeo.

In the midst of reading What the World Eats, and already I have learned about many foods I had never before heard of. Two interesting ones so far: Mitani Chicken Salt and Corn Soy Blend.

In which teens are still being dopey, no one loses a limb, and adults react badly.

The children didn’t light the candy. They crushed it into a fine powder in its wrapper, tore off one end, poured the powder into their mouths and blew out fine Smarties dust, mimicking a smoker’s exhale.

The LEAST panicky adult:

Dr. Shikowitz says Smarties may cause irritation to throats and noses — and even lungs if inhaled — but are not likely life-threatening because they eventually will dissolve. “I still don’t think it’s a great idea,” he says.

Nerd Boyfriend.

There was a small boy in the library lobby, crying. I went out there to speak soothingly to him and make sure he wasn’t hurt. His mom arrived moments later and picked him up, revealing a big puddle underneath. He had wet his pants. But for a split second I thought “Wow, he really cried a LOT!”