April 14, 1992

TIME

Part 2 of my Reference Interview ETN goes well, but I don't get the class participation I was expecting.  After last week's burst of enthusiasm, most of the students I call on are not prepared to participate in the discussion of the homework assignment.  I walk away not disappointed with my presentation, but, again, really questioning the effectiveness of the ETN format.

I linger through lunch at home, not in any hurry yet to get to the library.  My only busy moments are when I continue to work on Christine's evaluation.  A long board meeting includes my performance evaluation, which is superlative.  I stay late to write up the minutes but leave at 10 before I finish the task.  Everyone's asleep when I get home.  I carry Andy to his bed, then catch the baseball scores before dousing the lights.  I'm happy to learn that the Yankees lost their first game of the season.

April 7, 1992

During the morning, I can avoid thinking about the election because of the need to focus on my ETN presentation, which goes well.  Like the Nuts and Bolts program, I feel as though I have skimped on the preparation time, but my delivery is smooth and confident for the most part.  Amazingly, about halfway through the program, I have to put a lid on the discussion so I can get to the heart of my notes.

After driving home, I find that I have no appetite for lunch.  I take a container of yogurt out of the refrigerator and methodically spoon out the contents.  The afternoon at the library is fairly unfocused.  I leave at 4 to pick up both boys at daycare.  We eat out at McDonald's -- yesterday it was Burger King -- where I chow down three chicken fajitas, a fast-foot entree I actually find myself salivating over.  I'm actually feeling less stressed out, even a bit more confident about JoAnna's chance.  I endure a rather comical Common Council meeting, but considering these are the folks that will be voting on the library budget later in the year, it's a frightening display of pigheadedness and ignorance.  Before the meeting, Bruce Kaufmann addresses Don in such as way as to suggest that Don has the election in the bag.  I remain poker-faced but am chuckling on the inside.

The results are a long time comin'.  Yesterday Tim said he'd have all the totals tabulated by 9:15, 9:30 at the latest.  Guess again.  Considering the speed with which he gets the checks mailed out, I certainly should have known better.  Still hoping for speedy returns, I wait with Jim Wexler and Mike Duren in the administrative office.  Who should join us but Don and his wife, who seems a real friendly sort but studiously avoids eye contact with me.  Once they learn about the delay, they decide to wait things out at the Village Green.  I decide to join the party -- in progress at home, the tension mounting each time the phone rings -- and it rings, chirps, actually, every five minutes. Around 11, Jim calls with the news that JoAnna has won, the 1st, 3rd, and 5th districts he clarifies after JoAnna hands me the phone.  But the 5th is Don's district  so we are heartened.  Fifteen minutes later, Jim calls to ask to speak to the new supervisor from the 26th district.  I relay the news to JoAnna across the living room and a joyous communal cheer raises the roof. JoAnna takes the phone and I give her the hug of a lifetime and feel the pleasant sensation of my eyes welling up with tears of joy.  It's a feeling that rivals the birth of a child.  I'm so proud and elated that I hug everyone in sight.  It's especially nice to have JoAnna's parents with us to share this fantastic moment.  For them it will be a memory of a special time that ranks with the best.  It will certainly be for me.

Thursday, February 13, 1992

I'm looking forward to the end of the day.  No more interviews and a decision made.  I spend most of the morning organizing my notes, handouts, and other materials for April's Reference Interview ETN.  I realize what a breeze this program is going to be.  Except for a couple of exercise sheets, I have all the material.  During my lunch break, I go on what amounts to a wild goose chase for JoAnna.

The afternoon starts out on a positive note.  Vincent conducts a very strong, albeit overly dramatic, storytime.  He does songs, fingerplays, and a flannelboard story.  The two books he reads are almost an aside, incidental to his otherwise supercharged performance.  Then comes the interview. Vincent holds us hostage for two hours.  I didn't we were ever going to be able to leave the conference room.  Here is a candidate who on the verge of blowing away the competition talked his way out of a job.  No way could I work with such a motormouth.

I left the library with a severe headache and drove to Kids Play to pick up the boys.  Eddie has adjusted so well to his daytime surroundings.  No more teary greetings.

While JoAnna is conducting a campaign committee meeting, Andy and I seclude ourselves in the master bedroom.  I let a couple of martinis melt away the frustrations of an uneven day.  A high point, though, is calling Eve and leaving a very enthusiastic message on her answering machine. She calls back within an hour, obviously pleased with our choice.  At bedtime, I tell Andy the story of the three bears for the 326th time and then we act goofy and giggle until JoAnna looks in on us. I keep Andy up until 10.

November 18, 1991

I print out the newspaper column before driving to campus.  I make my usual appearance as reference expert on Darlene's A-50 ETN.  From there I drive to the WLA office, which is locked and darkened when I arrive.  Just as I'm getting into a recent issue of the New York Times Book Review, Larry rushes up the stairs, apologizing profusely for leaving me stranded -- sort of.  I join the rest of the Finance Committee at the Phoenix Gardens.  Having grabbed a McDonald's drive-thru meal on the way out, I skip ordering a second meal.  During the afternoon portion of the meeting, I occasionally wonder why I agreed to run for a major office and get myself involved in all these additional committees.  Oh well, I'll just have to crank it up once the new year starts.

I spend the last two hours of the workday at the info desk, and what a zoo the library is.  Middleton students have swarmed the library to finish an animal lore assignment due tomorrow.

The most strenuous I engage in during the evening is to put in place a couple of wall maps in the family room.

April 23, 1991

Not once did I ever get an early start to my ETN Tuesday.  My original plan was to get up early and spend at least an hour or so reviewing my notes at a State Street coffeehouse.  I never gave myself more than a half hour.  And, for the most part, it seemed to make little difference in the quality of my presentations.  One aspect of the course that needs close scrutiny between now and 1993:  the discussion questions.

After class, I take Eddie to see Dr. Ellis.  No ear infection this time, despite the river of green slime running out of his nose.

Tuesday evening as as busy as I've ever seen the library.  With a gaggle of giggly teenage girls most prominent.

April 22, 1991

I can still start the week with a high level of enthusiasm.  Maybe this is the main reason why I haven't updated my resume.

I begin the day in my usual fashion, composing a column for the Times-Tribune.  I use some of the information I gathered for the library profile.  With Liz taking the afternoon off, I spend most of the day at the info desk.  I don't give any attention to my ETN notes since I am starting to worry about how well my workshop next week at Merrill is going to come together.  I pick up Andy at daycare.

April 16, 1991

Session #11 goes very well, though once again I attempt to cover more territory than I have time for.  After class I pick up my homework assignments, find CD versions of Looking In and Raw Sienna at the B Side on State Street (in the "oldies" section, of all places), stop at the Madison Public Library to investigate sources of detailed CPI information, wander around the Capitol Square area until I find the office of the Center for Public Representation, then stroll back down State Street to the ramp. 

April 15, 1991

I drive Andy to daycare and pick him up.  JoAnna's in Milwaukee for an early meeting with Bill and the Brewers home opener.  I furiously work to get my ETN notes in shape for tomorrow.  Once we get home, I feed Andy and play with Eddie.

April 11, 1991

I drive Andy to daycare.  We are a little short-staffed at the library due to a meeting and an illness.  Most of my time is spent at the reference desk, preparing a new set of notes for next Tuesday's ETN.  don't have anything to revise.  JoAnna comes home for supper but has a meeting afterwards.

April 9, 1991

Session #10 already.  During the intro, I share with the class what the rain had done to my sock as a result of a hole in my shoe.  I spend most of the session hogging the airwaves and leave hardly any time for discussion.  Overall, a good session, though.  The continuing rain postpones my plans to walk to the IMC library and assorted other destinations.  While home for lunch, I get a call from Paul.  He's concerned about the content of the evaluation form I received.  We chat for at least 15 minutes.  It's always nice to hear from my best-ever pal. 

The board meeting that evening becomes a bit contentious when Gail asks about the format and content of the vendors report and income statement.  I'm not in the mood for what I consider to be minutiae. 

April 8, 1991

A typical morning.  The newspaper column, then a review of my ETN notes.  I stay late, later than planned, actually, since Liz goes home sick at 6.  For the next 45 minutes, we are inundated with a flood of people.  Amazing!   JoAnna decides to attend a parents meeting at Kids Play.  Andy and I watch the Brewers on TV.  While I'm feeding Eddie, though, he joins Auntie Barbara in the playroom.

April 5, 1991

With Sharon and Deb at a workshop, I have no choice but to spend most of the day at the info desk.  And it's time well spent.  I finish typing up notes for next Tuesday.  All I need now is an introductory mini-lecture on the pitfalls of medical and legal reference.  Where did those notes go?  I stay an hour past closing to photocopy newspaper articles, respond to Mike Gelhausen's request for personal information, and browse the AV carousel for tape-worthy tunes while Barb and Jo and Eddie are shopping.  I play with Eddie and take a musical trip back to the 60s. 

April 4, 1991

I wake up during the night feeling strangely woozy.  My body seems to quiver ever so slightly.  Once I get moving though, I'm pretty much back to normal.  I spent the morning at a city department head meeting to discuss the recodification of the Middleton ordinances.  Area Leaders last 90 minutes.  After a cheeeseburger and fries at the Village Green, I spend four hours revising my ETN notes for next Tuesday.  I decide to make notes for quite a few medical and legal titles that aren't on the bibliography.  JoAnna calls while she and Andy are driving home.  I can tell by the sound of her voice that she's sorry for last night's misunderstanding.  We don't talk about it though.

April 2, 1991

Session 9 of my Basic Reference course goes well, though once again I attempt to cram at least three hours of materials into less than two hours.  If I teach this course in 1993, I really need to completely revamp the discussion questions.  I skip the State Street stroll and return to Middleton directly.  I don't even check for new Savoy Brown CDs. I have a chance to play with Eddie before going to the library.  At 4, I join other city officials to meet with Senator Kasten.  He seems impressed when I mention that my wife works with Broydrick.  I even have the chance to lobby him about LSCA.

I walk home for supper -- a fruit-and-yogurt salad -- and return to the library for an evening at the info desk.  I work on a revision of next week's ETN notes but don't make much headway.  I notice the the syllabus for 10 and 11 is a real jumble.

Eddie's up til past 11.  Finally I just put him to bed, and he falls asleep without fussing.

March 28, 1991

One day after a frustrating Automation Task Force meeting, my inspiration level has still not recovered.  I look at the long rang plan file folder sitting on my desk and think, "No, not today".  I'm not in the mood for anything taxing, anything that is going to force me to think critically about library service.  I work at the information desk during the afternoon and continue at my post into the evening.  Since Sharon is taking the day off, I plan to work until 7 or so, to cover the dinner hour and to allow myself some time to revise my ETN notes.  I expect Maundy Thursday evening to be very slow, but I'm fooled.  It's a steady, sometimes hectic, evening.  I stay at my post and finish printing my notes five minutes after closing.

March 27, 1991

I make a donut run since Middleton is hosting the Automation Task Force meeting.  It's a long morning.  As the discussion progresses, it becomes obvious divergent paths are being taken.  As chair, I try to keep things moving without limiting the discussion, but my comments at 11:20 about how long people want to meet opens the floodgates.  From then on, all I can think about is relieving my bowels.

Just before I walk home for lunch, a tornado warning is sounded.  People stream into the basement meeting room as I'm washing cups and glasses.  I stay at the library late (til 7) to revise my ETN notes, rather meager for this session.

March 26, 1991

A rough night.  I can't fall asleep and it's my turn to get up with Eddie.  Again I have little time to review my ETN notes, but today my presentation goes wonderfully.  I feel completely at ease and comfortable with my material.  After class, I stop at the continuing education office to pick up homework assignments and then walk to GEF 3 (via the Madison Public Library to check the Montana entry in the new Encyclopedia Britannica) to drop off my LSCA rankings.  I share some follow-up comments with Frances and Peg.

In order to give Barb some more time on a gorgeous day, I take the afternoon off and watch Eddie, content to tape musical nuggets from the 60s.

March 25, 1991

I'm developing a Monday morning routine at work that includes writing an article for the local paper.  This week I crib some fiction annotations for a major filler.  I take a long lunch and then organize the invoices for awhile.  While at the information desk from 5 to 6, I make the final revision for tomorrow's ETN notes.  JoAnna prepares spaghetti for supper, and then we watch the Academy Awards telecast.  I take some time out from the tube to play basketball with Andy.  I really need to be more giving and responsive at these times.  I would have loved to have my dad interact with me in such a way when I was 3.  Just knowing what a basketball was before I was 9 would undoubtedly have been a boost to my self-confidence.

March 20, 1991

I skip the PC Users Group gathering and focus on more pressing responsibilities.  I spend the morning revising and adding to my notes for the next ETN session, which I feel will be more enjoyable.  At least, my delivery should be looser and more confident.  During the afternoon, I work on Sharon's and Liz's evaluations, descriptive and evaluative narratives of their performances since moving into the new library appended with some long-range planning directives.  I pick up Andy since JoAnna has a meeting.

March 19, 1991

I'm up no earlier than other Tuesdays.  With a shortened workday yesterday, I've cut into class-preparation and note-reflection time.  Does it matter?  I don't think so.  First of all, let me confess that I covered only two-thirds of the materials, but that's only because I tried to cram too much information into an abbreviated session. The growing concern that I have is the inappropriateness of the ETN format for type of class I'm teaching.  Sometimes I wonder how near to death I'm boring my students.

After class, I walk to Madison Public to confer with Julie about the Automation Task Force agenda.  I also visit JoAnna at her office.  Due to last night's row, we are still tentative around each other.