I love my car again.

Back in December, I spun out on the highway.  It was AWFUL.  It was SCARY.  It made me not want to drive my car.  I didn't trust it any more.  Since the spin, I have felt like I was sliding every time I went around a curve.

I took it to Firestone on Sunday to have a tire patched and while I was there, I asked that they balance, rotate, align, etc.  I know, I know....that just sounds like normal maintenance, but nothing felt wrong (so shaking, no pulling, etc.), so I never had those things checked.

Finally today, I took it out on the highway and as I was coming home, I realized that I didn't feel like I was sliding even once.  What a pleasure!

It felt so good that I called Firestone and told them THANK YOU.  Bob, the guy who helped me on Sunday, was there and he seemed stunned.  "You mean you're not calling to complain?"  "How about complaining about the price...don't you want to do that?"

He said that NO ONE had ever called to tell him "thank you."  That, to me, is incredible.

Let's thank each other more.  Let's lift each other up with tons of praise.

Who did you thank today?

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The new life...

The whole move started out badly...It was sweltering hot in Ohio the first day we were loading, and it rained the next.  (My timing is always impeccable!)  We didn't get a receipt for the truck because the U-Haul  computers went down.  (Thank goodness they didn't report the thing stolen!)  We didn't have room for both houses in one truck, so sadly, some things got left behind.  Brake lights came on in the semi, so the night before we were to leave, we had to have an emergency mechanic visit.

Finally, we got on the road and about 1/2 way there, we stopped at a Subway.  In the little garden, there was this cherub statue facing away from the picnic tables.  It was obviously mooning us.

It was HOT when we got here...in fact, record-breaking temperatures greeted us.  (Have I mentioned that my timing is always impeccable?)  The movers were fantastic...they had the whole truck unloaded in about two hours.  Then the AC went out.

Repair guy came and worked till about 1:00 AM, and things were fine till last Wednesday.  This time, the compressor locked up.  Thank goodness for the home warranty! 

But today, none of that bad stuff matters.  THIS is the type of day I am SUPPOSED to have every day.

• After a week of sweat rolling down my back, the AC is fixed again.
• I finished a book.  The Emperor's Mistress by Kate Quinn was excellent.  It's about slave life in Roman times.  It would make a great chick flick.
•  I went to a music store to get everything The Boy needs to start playing the trumpet in band.  AND I DIDN'T GET LOST!  Not even for a second!
• I ate at a Mexican restaurant that - and I am very sad to say this - beat El Vaquero in taste.  (Not in service, though.)  
• I get to use my oven now that the AC is fixed.  Ah, a home-cooked meal!  You have no idea how much heat even a toaster can give off....trust me, eating out was the better option.
• My car was fixed on Sunday, so now I didn't feel like I was sliding around the curves.  My car was actually a pleasure to drive!  (More on that in the next entry...)
• I made it home in time for a nap...and it was sooooo good.

I hope your day was just as wonderful!

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Step this way....

Just when I was starting to enjoy going to the movies again, we're moving to a place where I don't even know how to locate the closest grocery, let alone the closest theater.  Does Ft. Forth even HAVE theaters?!

One of the reasons I don't like going to the movies is because of the ticket price.  (That, and the constant sound of CRUNCHING in the background.  Stupid popcorn!)  Anyway, since these tickets are free, I can put up with a bit of extra noise around me.  Somewhat.  Anyway...

The movie we saw last week was "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" with Nicholas Cage.  Honestly, this movie was as predictable as all of his others, but it was still an ok way to spend the evening.  I would wait for this one to come out and watch it at home, though.

The customer service connection to the premier:  We were at a different theater for this one, and the line formed on the steps.  Yes, the steps. While I was thankful to have a seat for the hour we were waiting to get in, I thought it was a bad idea for a couple of reasons:

• No handicapped accessibility to the line.  There was an escalator, but the person couldn't really stand in line over there.
• If you were afraid of heights, you were out of luck.  This staircase was HUGE!
• Luckily, we were near the top of the steps where we could feel the air conditioning.  People below us were fanning themselves and sweating.  I was hoping no one would pass out and take a tumble.

The bonus was that I could see everyone arriving, so when my friend came in, I could easily get her attention from the top of the steps.  I'm not normally able to find her till the last second, and then people start shhhhh-ing us because we're giggling, and then we end up rolling our eyes and they throw popcorn in our hair (stupid popcorn!).

The moral of the story?  Sometimes, out of necessity, we create obstacles for our users.  When that has to happen, try to accommodate.  In this case, they could have offered a cheap bottle of water, or a "take a number" kind of system so that moviegoers could go have a seat somewhere less threatening and then get in line at the last minute.

What obstacles do your customers face?  How can you ease their pain?

The circus is leaving town.

Target date:  August 1st.

It's been officially announced that I am getting married and moving to Texas. How exciting!

My job has been posted, so take a look.  Trust me, you WANT to work at OPLIN.

Since the announcement, my days have been very bittersweet...I'm receiving many, many very nice messages and phone calls, offers for goodbye lunches, and even gifts!  I've been quite overwhelmed. 

So much for slipping out quietly. 

I talk to hundreds of different people a year. (It really doesn't seem like that many.)  I feel like I know you all personally!  I knew it would be a bit difficult to say goodbye, but MAN, you guys!   *sniff...sniff*

Frankly, I will miss you all very much.  Each librarian uniquely contributes to the greatness of Ohio libraries.  You all deserve medals!  And raises!  I hope to find librarians in Ft. Worth to be just as passionate and excited about public libraries as we - well, you - Ohioans are.

I was reminded of my first real trip outside of "my" library.  I went to the Ida Rupp Public Library in Port Clinton for training on our new ILS software.  That reminder, and many other stories that we've been sharing this week, certainly don't feel like they happened many years ago.  It just feels like yesterday.  Fun times...fun times...

My last day is July 23rd and it will be a sad one, but I'm counting on folks to stay in touch.  I just don't know what I'd do without all of you!

My recipe for a sweet TWEET

Several weeks ago, I posted this picture:

Last week I posted this story:  "Naked Man Arrested At Library With Stolen Cheese"

Both of those posts involved food.  Both of those posts inspired more comments than usual.  Coincidence?

I think the moral of the story is that while people like news and helpful hints about technology and libraries, they like food even more.  Or maybe they just like things that make them smile.   

(And just for the record, I think the "naked man with cheese" story was clicked on because of the word "cheese" and not the word "naked.")

Plans and sand

Check out this article and very cool video from CNN.

It took six days for a group of Buddhist monks to create an extravagant sand mandala at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. 

When the last grain of sand was set, the monks didn’t spend time admiring their handiwork. Within about an hour, the elaborate art they had spent days crafting was carefully swept away during a ritualistic ceremony. This is normal practice; it is done to symbolize the impermanence of life.

This is how I used to feel doing library programming.  I spent DAYS planning, prepping, copying, promoting, practicing, etc. and the program was done in 30 minutes, then the participants were gone, with nothing left to show for it.

But SO worth it to see those smiling faces, no?

Movie premier: GROWN UPS

Thanks to the great radio stations above (no, really, ClearChannel Radio is upstairs), we got to see the Columbus premier showing of Grown Ups last night.  Check out the trailer for this raunchy reunion comedy.

It's a nice blend of slapstick and chick flick starring Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, Rob Schneider, Salma Hayek, etc. 

I was afraid that, like most comedies these days, the funniest parts were all in the previews.  Not the case here.  Laugh-out-loud funny in spots, touching in others, this movie had the theater ROARING with laughter.

A must see!

The customer service perspective: 

Sony sponsored the event, and man, were they MEAN. 

I understand that they didn't want anyone secretly taping/snapping pics while the movie was playing, but they went so far as to keep us all in the OUTSIDE lobby (95 degrees, no AC, no air movement, and about 200 bodies...UGH) for an hour, then until we all removed phones from our persons.  We had to TAKE THEM TO OUR CARS.  

Let me tell you my main issues with this:

• It made all of our vehicles prime targets for thieves.  I wonder how many of the cars got broken into.  Luckily, ours was not one of them.  
• Know what happens when a cell phone gets too hot?  Mine wouldn't turn on till I held it against the AC vent for a few minutes.
• Folks, you gotta trust your customers.  Tell them what your expectations are, then follow through if they don't obey the rules.  Don't punish everyone because you think someone might get mischievous, rude, disruptive or whatever.
  

Once everyone was back inside, they let us all in to the theater, where we were wanded - YES, like in the airport - for recording devices by armed, uniformed officers.

A bit of overkill, I'd say, but meh, I like feeling like a criminal.

Again I ask you, how do your customers feel when they leave your building?