Daughters*

This post did not start out to be about library work but I'll do my best to bring it around.

I've always had a sense of urgency about my life. Whether it was schoolwork, deadlines at the various jobs I've worked, learning a new piece of music, there was always a push to finish, and to finish well.  Part of that I will happily blame on my summer of Youth Conservation Corps in 1976, when I traveled to Michigan's Upper Peninsula--specifically, the University of Michigan forestry camp (Camp Filibert Roth), near Iron River, in the Ottawa National Forest.  It was there that I acquired an almost rabid desire to work hard and finish well, whether we were constructing hiking trails, pruning pine trees, or competing in the Conclave at the end of the summer. That tenacity has paid off handsomely in my adult life--not in terms of financial wizardry (Heh! I wish!), but in earning the admiration and respect of coworkers and musical associates.  In the words of one conductor (who wishes I didn't always play so loud), "(I) leave it all on the court".

Which comes around to not only my current job but the current situation with my daughter.  She's a senior, looking to go to college next fall, specifically music school.  She's a talented young lady, and when she wants something bad enough, she'll work for it.  What's monumentally frustrating for me is that 1) she frankly doesn't rise to the occasion nearly as often as she should, 2) she doesn't ask me for help (I have two degrees in Music and can make things a LOT easier for her), and 3) as a result, she doesn't look as good on paper as she should.

You may find it cold-hearted of me to describe my own daughter in this way, and I've said many times to different people that I make Simon Cowell look like a cast member of Up With People when it comes to being cynical about people who sing.  I recognize her talent.  Compared to where I was in high school, she's a hundred times further ahead in terms of developing her musical gifts and talents.  I really feel like she started with more than I did and I have done my best to be supportive--and I've had a tough time letting go, but I don't feel that this is the time to do that just yet. I feel like I have to keep pushing until all those applications and sign-ups are done. She did the Common Application but not all of her schools use that, and it's maddening to not see any action from her (or evidence thereof).

Right now she's waiting for answers from schools to which she's applied--and I've resorted to getting her mother to ask her about applications and audition sign-ups.  She has deadlines to meet. She's already missed two major schools and she's in serious danger of missing others. I'm about to hang a shingle out saying I'm a dentist, because it's like pulling teeth to get any answers out of her. 

If she goes to a Rowan or NJCU or even IUP I should be happy (West Chester, Temple, or Western Michigan would be better), but it is FRUSTRATING beyond belief to see no action and hear no reports. Does every parent of a senior go through this, feeling the strain, wanting to scream?

She's at PMEA District Choir today and tomorrow. Saturday we start all this again. Onward.

*--John Mayer, Heavier Things, 2003.

PS: So I didn't bring it around to the Library Science world. To paraphrase Emeril Lagasse, "get your own blog".

Same Old Auld Lang Syne, chapter three*

This is an excerpt from our 2017 Family Christmas letter. It's been edited for length.

So I was out of work from my job at the Free Library of Philadelphia as of mid-October, and spent the next four weeks seeking a new position.  I had phone interviews with the University of Alabama, a public library in Willow Grove PA, and with the institution that eventually hired me, Lincoln University, near Oxford, Chester County, PA. It’s an HBCU (Historically Black College or University), the oldest such institution in existence, and counts Langston Hughes and Thurgood Marshall among its alumni. Like many other HBCU’s, they struggle with dwindling enrollment and the resulting baggage, but as I told the committee in my on-campus interview, the students at LU are no less in need of the information they need to realize their hopes and dreams than their peers at other institutions, whether it involves formatting a research paper, finding that essential article, or figuring out the answer to a complicated question.

My official title is “part-time reference librarian and special collections assistant” so in addition to helping solve educational issues, I help the university community (as well as outside concerns like CNN) with their research on the history of LU. My current project involves organizing old phonograph recordings that belonged to the LU radio station, WWLU, with the goal of making the collection searchable online, and possibly allowing a portion of it to circulate.  There’s an astonishing variety to this collection; in addition to LP’s, we have a few 45’s and even some 78’s of jazz and classical works.  There’s a significant number of Gospel recordings—including a couple by Tammy Faye Bakker—and a LOT of promotional recordings. I’m keeping a daily log of my work, and will have student workers do the same when they return. Will I publish? Stay tuned… 

*--Dan Fogelberg, The Innocent Age, 1981.

Ventura Highway*

Welcome to country 68, Ecuador!  My father visited Montevideo in the late 1960's as part of his work for Parke-Davis (now Pfizer), but I don't expect that I'll get there in this lifetime.  I'm glad my blog did, though.  As I invite others, please feel free to comment and argue passionately on what you read here.

I haven't had much to say lately--I've been slugging it out in the corporate world as a package handler for FedEx.  Gotta keep the money rolling in.  Creditors are willing to work with me to a point, and we have been blessed with gifts here and there, but I'd rather be working in the field.

Working out the details of a job offer as we speak.  Hopeful that I'll have good news this coming week.

Onward.

*--Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell, America, 1973.

The Blue Tail Fly*

During my career as a teacher, my two favorite colleagues were both named Charlie--Charlie Musch, of Edinburg (TX) Junior High School, and Charlie Graham of Philadelphia's Lincoln High School. Both were grizzled veterans of the music education trenches, much loved by colleagues and students alike, and from whom I learned much in the year I spent with them.

The one I'm talking about today, though, is Charlie Graham.  I worked with him in his last year at Lincoln High School.  As the last day of school grew nearer, he said jovially, "Dan, my new name is Jimmy Crack Corn".  Being the dense band director, it took a moment or two for me to understand what he meant.

The first line of the chorus of "Blue Tail Fly" is as follows:
"Jimmy Crack Corn, and I don't care".

So when we'd have staff meetings or read daily announcements, he'd tell us again, "my name is Jimmy Crack Corn".  I can't hear that song without thinking of Charlie--and can't think of him without smiling.

I'm well aware of the minstrel origins of that song, and that it once contained lyrics that to modern ears and minds would be considered offensive, even racist. Charlie wasn't racist--he went out of his way to shelter students who he thought were being harassed or excluded.  The point of this post, if there is one to be gleaned, is that "Jimmy Crack Corn" was his way of letting go as retirement neared. He cared deeply about the state of Music Education in the School District of Philadelphia, and lamented what once was at Lincoln High School..

So as I leave the Free Library of Philadelphia, I'm presented with a choice: lament what once was, and won't be again, or move on gracefully, grateful for the experience I had and the people I met.

Onward.

*--American minstrel song, c. 1847.

A man called Ove*

*--Okay, so this isn't a song title--it's a book title and the title of a Swedish film, AND an upcoming feature film starring Tom Hanks. Get off of my lawn ya durn kids, ya!

I used to work for a company named Agway, no longer in existence.  I had a boss whose name was Bill Jager--lovely wife Barbara and three beautiful daughters--maybe 10 years older than me when I first started at the company, and he would rant about how people would know so little about the things they spent the most money on (houses and cars) or how to fix them.

Bill Jager, you were right.

I'm sick to death of people who buy electronic devices for hundreds or thousands of dollars then expect me to fix their problems without seeing the device or what it's doing wrong (or they're doing wrong). I still have to smile and sound cheerful like it isn't the 10000th time I've been asked today. Glad they can't see eyerolls and facepalms on the telephone.

Rant over. Time to hit the reference desk.

My Back Pages*

With less than three weeks to go before I leave my current post, a weird dynamic has risen up.  I don't want to come to any false assumptions or conclusions, but consider this:

1) One of the things I get dinged on in evaluations is not clearing things through superiors.  Since I'm the junior librarian in terms of seniority, I'm expected to clear everything I do and say through SOMEONE in the department.

I'm 57 years old, for Christ's sake. I've been doing this a while. I'm leaving in eight days. Why bring this up now?

2) My supervisor has become more distant than usual. I guess it's her way of dealing with this situation, which started with a royal fxxxup by Human Resources, continued with disunity at home, and I end up once again "taking one for the team" Some team. Some family leadcr I turned out to be. If I did such a great job raising our kids than why do none of them choose to go to church?

3) I am not going to mention leaving to anyone here. Let's see if they remember me with more than a passing "harrumph".

*--Bob Dylan,  Another Side of Bob Dylan, 1964.

Happenstance*

Serendipity happens!

It is common knowledge that serendipity refers to the unexpected, often pleasant happening. For example, you're looking for your car keys in the morning, and you discover a $20 bill in the pocket of a pair of pants that's gone through the washer. My favorite definition of serendipity came from a professor of communications at the University of Michigan whose name has escaped my memory. He said:

"Serendipity is looking for the needle in the haystack and finding the farmer's daughter".

So I'm applying for jobs yet again and remember sage advice about customizing one's CV and cover letter to the particulars of the advertised position.  Did it, and had success!

You can't just blanket the world with one view of yourself. Be like the apostle Paul--"All things to all people" (1 Cor 9:22, NIV; www.biblegateway.com). I would be remiss if I didn't reprint the whole passage so you can see the context, so:

"I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some".

He's not saying that we should sway at the mere mention of a breeze, but rather keep yourself open to different ways of communicating your message. You never know what might trigger that conversation, for you OR your audience.

Onward...

*Grover Washington Jr., All My Tomorrows, 1994.