March 27, 1992

The weekend's top-grossing new movie.

Andy wants Eddie to stay home with him (and Kelly) but I don't want our babysitter to have her hands too full.  I veto the idea, and JoAnna doesn't argue in Andy's defense.

I spend a large portion of the morning with Sheila, reviewing her position description and discussing her performance evaluation.  She heartily seconds my suggestion of a halftime administrative assistant with no public service duties who would be responsible for bookkeeping, staff records, meeting room schedule, bulletin board.  Before the end of the workday, I share the idea with Liz and Chris, and they, too react enthusiastically.  All of a sudden, I have a major focus for this summer's budget preparations.

I leave the library at 4 and walk to Dunn's.

March 26, 1992

The TV show that ruled its Thursday evening time slot for 8 years.

At first, I plan to work with Eve in the evening, but with school out and business at that time of day on the slow side, I decide that the following week will be better for reference instruction.  With Liz working all day and practicum student Bev at the reference desk all day, I'm able to spend the day working as as library administrator exclusively.  No wonder I feel curiously unproductive.

Andy is at home spending the day with Kelly.  Instead of taking a long afternoon break to eat lunch at Pasqual's and go shopping for clothes, I walk to what used to be Arneson's and chow down on a 1/3-pound cheeseburger and a mega-plate of done-to-perfection onion rings.  After work, I first stop at the house and then Andy and I drive to Steppingstone to pick up MundoPie.

Wednesday, December 11, 1991

JoAnna leaves for D.C. to attend a convention, but I don't have to drive her to the airport.  Liz calls in sick and my call to Sheila goes unanswered so I leave the library at 1:15, planning to return at 6 for a very much unwanted evening shift.  Sometimes I think Liz does this on purpose.  She wants to be treated like a professional, but she certainly doesn't approach her job in that fashion.  Yesterday she asked about the possibility of upgrading her position to assistant director.  I used the Sheila/Marian analogy to explain why it wouldn't work but left unsaid my concerns about her unprofessional attitude.

Andy and I have a great evening together.  We play his electronic basketball game, Concentration with his Old Maid cards (he slaughters me; I get only one match), Superman, flopping on the bed with our capes on.  We stay up late to watch Green Acres and Mr. Ed on Nick at Nite.

Monday, December 9, 1991

JoAnna calls to invite me out to lunch.  She drives out to Middleton to drop off her announcement for county board candidacy.  Old Town is convenient.  I half expect Don Damon to walk in.

I spend most of the afternoon getting job ads placed, an expensive task.  The final tally will easily exceed $500.

Sitting at the information desk, I start to work on a pathfinder for staff, focusing on our directory collection in reference.  Naturally, Liz is nervous about empowering other staff members.  She must feel that her power and authority are being undermined.  The impetus for this project came from Mark, who had asked if the library owned any Hawaii telephone directories.  My feeling is that circ staff should have a basic familiarity in high-demand areas of what we do and don't have.  The more I work on this information sheet, the more complicated it becomes, but I think I can use it for an alternative approach of next Wednesday's presentation in Appleton.

July 12, 1991

I try the stereo again and this time the intro to "Hotel California" floats out of both speakers, just like it did in the dream I had overnight. 

Midmorning at the library, I call Liz to inform her of the great news [Librarian of the Year] but there's no answer.  She's at the library with her kids, that's why.  She is overjoyed; her eyes brim with tears.  She shares the news with Sharon, but Peg [Branson] did say to try to keep a lid on it until next week.  Both Sharon and Liz make a point of telling me how richly deserved the award is.  I am very touched. 

Larry Martin and I have lunch together at the Olde Towne Inn -- great onion rings -- and then he sits in on the SSRT meeting. 

I'm so busy at the [reference] desk I make no headway on the long-rang plan or an initial budget draft. 

I pick up Andy, JoAnna's golfing, and spend about a half hour watering the plants. 

June 8, 1991

Liz calls to inform me that Chris can't make it to work.  Can I be on call?  Fifteen minutes later, I am reassured by the news that Deb has agreed to fill in.  A couple hours later Liz calls a thud time to say that Deb isn't feeling well, but not to worry, it's a slow day and she and Maria can handle it.  Andy and I go to Menard's to buy some landscaping posts for my backyard project.  We run into Kathy (Weise) and Bill while we're there.  Then  while Andy is napping and Barb is watching Eddie, I make a trip to the Bruce Company.  I spend most of the afternoon setting the posts in place, using the mattock to loosen the earth and provide a level surface.  When JoAnna returns from the Capitol, she asks if I'd be willing to do the grocery shopping.  I lose my list along the way, but the only important thing I forget is the [illegible].  I also stop at KMart to buy some end tables for the patio.  Larry and Martha and, later, Chuck join us for a cookout.

April 1, 1991

A new week, another Monday finds me at the information desk, composing my weekly column when I'm not helping people.  It's a surprisingly busy morning, Madison's last day of spring break.  The atmosphere in the library becomes increasingly squirrelly as the afternoon progresses.  Reports from Liz, Sharon, and Pat indicate that Chris Robbins is his usual uncontrollable self.  When I confront him with his variety of misdeeds, he naturally denies everything.  My asking him to leave makes him feisty, a little too much so.  "Faggot!  Motherfucking bastard!" he says to me as he starts to leave.  I tell him not to come back for the rest of the week.  Then I call his Mom and express my displeasure.  She says an apology will be forthcoming.

March 4, 1991

A new work week and the focus is ETN, compiling new notes, revising old notes, reviewing everything I've put into print for session 5.  I stay late at the library, not to grab some additional planning time as intended, but to fill in for Liz, who is emphatic about some offdesk time to complete an unspecified project.  Just ask, Paul.  After all, you're the boss.

JoAnna's a late arrival, which helps to set up a 7 p.m. spaghetti dinner.  I eat a lighter-than-moderate portion, worried  about the 203 I registered on Dr. Meyer's scale last week.