This Snow is Ridiculous, Until it Saves Me from Deer

Last night, traffic was slowed to a whopping 30 mph on Metcalf near 123rd St. This was, somehow, a good thing, as the unruly mob of deer that pranced passed the front of my car would have most certainly become hood ornaments were I going full speed.

In a transition that is somehow not awkward, the Book of the Day is a new title that just came by my desk called Deer-Resistant Landscaping : Proven advice and strategies for outwitting deer and 20 other pesky mammals. Since the best advice I have is “hire Ted Nugent”, I’m guessing this landscaping business would be a much better technique than anything I have to recommend. Recommended for students looking into landscaping careers, and also to people who hate deer.

In summary: that golf course needs better landscaping, and the snow did something positive for a change. Tiny miracles.

Still looking for eBook Reader Users

So, we’re sitting on a Nook,  a Kindle, and a Sony eReader, and to help us move from here, we’re still looking to find user experiences. Anyone willing to share can contact me at bbaile14@jccc.edu, or contact us through facebook or @JCCCLib on Twitter.  We’ve had a few responses, but we can always use more.

Thanks a million!

A Book and a Story About Gender Reassignment

Today’s title is “You’ve Changed” : Sex Reassignment and Personal Identity, edited by Laurie Shrage. This collection of essays should be of interest for those involved in queer studies, gender studies, sexuality studies, or perhaps anyone who still has questions about why people proceed with this transition.

But if I may, I’d like to share a quick story with you.  One of the best sports writers to ever live was Christine Daniels. On my birthday in 2009 (which happened to be the day after Thanksgiving),  Christine Daniels took her own life after existing for 2 years. How is that possible? Christine Daniels was born Mike Penner.

Montrealgazette.com; Windycitymediagroup.com

After living as a male for 49 years, Christine finally went through the procedures to become the woman she had felt she always was.

In this incredibly moving eulogy Rick Reilly (of all people, right?) wrote in ESPN The Magazine, Reilly says he received a text message from her after her transition announcement in the LA Times (available here), saying “I’m finally glad […] you got to meet the real me.”

Reilly concludes his post with this:

I don’t know why he did it. Nobody knows. Maybe being Christine caused others too much pain. Maybe being Mike caused him too much. “Maybe trying and failing to be Christine Daniels,” says Kahrl, “killed Mike Penner.”

I’ll miss them both.

If you read Reilly’s article or have any interest in the topic of gender transitioning or want to understand why someone would or what they must have been going through before and during the change, I recommend “You’ve Changed”.

Going Bovine: As Nuts as the Author

If you enjoy the movies of David Lynch, the comedy of Tim and Eric, or the craziness of Chuck Palahnuk (the Fight Club author), then I highly recommend for you Going Bovine by Libba Bray.

A boy with a dysfunctional family gets Mad Cow Disease.  He tries to find a doctor to cure it and fix some wounds in his family life.  The problem? He’s tripping like crazy.  The Mad Cow disease has set him on a hallucinatory voyage of adventure, danger, and vikings.  Somehow, these are a few of the more tame aspects of the work.

For goodness sake, look at the author.

SERIOUSLY.

But don’t be mistaken: this book won the American Library Association Printz Award for Young Adult Fiction written last year.

The Weather is Gross: Research Reminder (UPDATE)

In case some of you are sticking around the library to work on assignments, we urge you to remember the following things on account of the nasty weather:

  • Almost all of our journals are available from home with your JCCC ID and login
  • We have LibGuides to assist you with your assignments
  • If you need to talk, you can always use chat reference (it’s on the right hand side of this page, too!)
  • Peruse our site for more resources, and don’t be afraid to ask us over Twitter (@JCCCLib), or you can always call us (913.469.3871)

SAFETY FIRST: Using JCCC’s Library is just as easy from home, and we don’t have a “Clothing Optional” policy in the real building.

UPDATE: We’re shutting this joint down: campus closes at 3:30 today (2/5/2010).  BE SAFE.

Get It? It’s a Play On Words!

Today’s book: Condom Nation : The U.S. Government’s Sex Education Campaign from World War I to the Internet

Condom Nation. HA!

So this book takes a gander at the last 90 years of sex education in America, and the opposition the government has faced from its own people. Be it religious groups, general anxiety towards the topic of sex, or other obstacles, Alexandra Lord attempts to document the U.S. Government’s long take at a progressive Sex Ed campaign.  While her argument is that Americans have thwarted their own government’s attempts, some critics have said Lord did not go far enough in examining why Americans can shy away from the topic.  While the author’s point of view is made clear from the beginning, it serves as an interesting account of one government’s 90-year efforts to educate its own people about the risks and responsibilities of sexual activity.

We’re Interested in your eBook Reader Experience

We’ve got some toys and ideas coalescing into a full fledged project, but we’ll need your help.  Feel free to comment on on this blog, DM us on Twitter (@JCCCLib), or contact me via the e-mail (bbaile14 [at] jccc [dot] edu) if you’d be willing to spend some time sharing your experience with a Kindle, Sony Reader, Nook, or any other type of eBook device or software.