David in DC Inteviews laura b.

Thanks to David in DC for the fun questions.
Read on, please.

1. So, what would you like to tell us about Miss Personality and Love Bug? (In my experience, grandmas always like this question)

Aw, yes, of course we love to pull out our Granny’s Brag Book with the endless pictures of the grandkids doing various adorable things and begin orating only to end when the other party suddenly remembers somewhere else they need to be.
Miss Personality is called that for a reason. She is very bright, curious, and engaging. She is a beautiful girl, very dark and petite. She actually looks a lot like her biological father, but her resemblance to Kick Back Dude is uncanny as well, because she gestures and makes expressions just like him. Miss Personality is an astounding mimic. Verbally and physically, she can copy almost anything. Even though she is only 2, I predict that she will be a very good student and an excellent athlete. My favorite thing is when she runs to me, hugs me and says, “It’s so nice to see you, Grandma!”
We are all just getting to know Love Bug. Today she is 12 days old. Of course, she is a gorgeous baby. Since there wasn’t a long labor, she came out looking nice, not all squishy faced. She has incredibly long skinny feet. She has a lot of dark hair and her eyes seem a little lighter and bluer each day. She has a great appetite and she’s a good sleeper. So far, she seems like a calm person. Not the hysterical, needing to blow off steam type like some babies. She doesn’t like to be swaddled; possibly because it is so warm, but mostly it seems like she just really likes stretching out. I can’t wait to get to know her as she grows.
Oh, what? This is the longest answer to a question ever? You’ve all suddenly remembered a sudden appointment? Okay, I’ll stop.

2. What's different about the library today, from when you started there?

I have only been working in libraries for about nine years, but I would say the biggest change is the growing reliance on the Internet and online databases for information. Librarians, to remain relevant, have had to become experts at doing what we have always done, helping people to locate information, but in a whole new way.
Another big change in the library, or maybe in the marketing of books in general, can be traced to the explosion of the first Harry Potter book. Until that time, of course there were popular books for both children and adults. I think the marketing phenomenon of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s (or Philosopher’s) Stone marked the beginning of a new level of excitement that could be at least aimed for when selling an author or title to the public. It was like the “Who shot J.R.?” moment of the literary world. Books (other than those of the self-help variety) could become pop culture phenomenons.

3. Why do you blog?

I have always been a journal-keeping sort. But if I just wanted to continue writing things down, I could always do that in a private, more traditional way. When I started my blog it was, for all intents and purposes, private but when I started getting a few regular people who would stop by and read I found that I loved hearing other people’s comments on things that I was going through. I would say that now I blog for the same reason that I read and listen to music…to know that I am not alone.

4. Looking at men strictly as sex objects, which do you prefer: tighty-whitey briefs or boxers with a funny slogan or design?

Strictly as sex objects? Then I don’t care what they are wearing as long as they are clean and aren’t falling away from the elastic in big droopy holes. Haha! Just take ‘em off, whatever style they are! (Oh, alright…I actually prefer boxer style briefs in colors….)

5. Action figures are coming out now for all sorts of characters. RFB just bought a Jane Austin action figure. What character, living or dead, fictional or non-fictional, would you like if someone were to buy you an action figure?

Well, you know I love non-traditional action figures! I would actually love a Jane Austen too! I do have, right here at my desk, Librarian Nancy Pearl, Einstein, Casanova, and JP Patches the Clown. You may remember the lovely portrait I shot of them with my camera phone. Look HERE. If I could have anyone as an action figure, I think I would choose one of my favorite authors. Books are important to me. It is hard to narrow it down to one author and someday perhaps someone will get me a complete set of my favorites. For now I will go with Haruki Murakami. Or oooohhh! I would really like a Steely Dan pair! My own little Donald and Walter.

Here are the rules, if you'd like for me to dream up 5 different questions for you.

1. Leave me a comment saying "Interview Me". (Perfect strangers are welcome, as well.)
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with a post containing your answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Thanks again, DiDC :-)