I want a beautiful paddleboat, just like this one!!

Yesterday turned out to be a pretty good day, even after all the computer craziness.  Yes, computer is fine.  My RAM went bad, but it wasn’t my fault and I lost NOTHING.  YAHOO!

Over lunch, I had a meeting with a co-worker to hammer out the outline/structure/basics of an article we’re writing on working with people with Autism or Asperger’s in the library setting.  Seems there is a bit of a gap between some of the suggestions in the psychology literature and library literature.  In the psychology lit, it is often suggested that libraries would be ideal environments for AS (autism spectrum) individuals, but there seems to be nothing in library literature to support that or to even say “Hey, we tried it!” There are some articles about serving that population, but not on including them in the workforce.  We’re writing a “we tried it” article.  It’s super exciting to be working toward being published, especially since I’m not even a librarian .  And it’s even more exciting that it seems that no one else is doing it.  It’s been fascinating and really enriching to work with my volunteer.  I hope we’re able to continue the program. 

After that was a meeting regarding the arrangement of spaces in the building.  The discussion lead to some really exciting ideas about creating faculty space & collections on the entry level.  I think it will be a huge improvement to the library in general–making some things more accessible, allowing space for information sharing, etc..  It’s amazing, because lots of other aspects of the meeting went really poorly.  Dominance and queen bee issues were creeping up and there wasn’t much that was able to mitigate it.  So I find it surprising that something really good came out of something really sketchy.

After work was a quick trip to Target for Hospital Pillows.  Hospital Pillows?  You may remember that birth class started last night.  I determined I wanted some cheap, almost disposable, new pillows to take to class and the birth.  First, I HATE those odd hospital pillows that seem to be made of failed Nerf balls.  Second, all my pillows at home are kinda old and grungy (but I still love them…).  Third, I think it might be one aspect of nesting that is starting to turn on inside me.  I picked up some cheap pillow cases too, in a dark color.  I felt so clever!!

So…birth class…we had talked about all our options as far as what kind of class to go with.  Around here there didn’t seem to be much in the way of middleground.  There were 12 week Bradley courses, but we missed the start of the earliest one in town and would have had to travel to Peoria or Champaign to attend one.  And while I know a lot of people who have had great success with Bradley, there are a number of aspects of it that didn’t line up with our personalities. Hypnobirthing/babies seems to only be offered in more metro areas than here.  We weren’t really up for the doula option.  What we settled on was the hospital’s class with our own suplimental reading on Bradley and Hypnobirthing. 

My thought was that the hospital course would be very medically based in a “here’s what we’ll be doing to you” way, but that hasn’t been the case at all. 

First of all, the presenter, Kara, was REALLY FUNNY.  Not general presenter funny where people chuckle quietly, but actually quite hilarious.  Very relateable, not stodgey, quirky, honest, open, knowledgeable, welcoming.  I have never been to a class where everyone was so engaged.  The course is a good overview of all the options available and possible, some of the complications that could occur, a request for everyone to be flexible, focused, relaxed.  Very choice centered.  Very accepting of those who are hoping to go natural and those planning on the drugs.  All about the options… 

I have to say I’m terribly surprised.  I expected it to be a 3 week waste of time, but we’ve already gotten quite a lot out of it, including the disgusting, yet apt and funny, inside joke that the delivered placenta looks a lot like the chocolate pudding filled gourds in the Chocolate Room of Willy Wonka’s factory.   

Today is off to a better start, with the exceptions of a giant spider in the toilet, Max litter box surfing, getting a Mountain Dew from the Diet Mountain Dew button on the vending machine, having to talk to HR today, super ginormous swollen feet and tummy grumbliness.  Meh.  All little inconveniences in comparison to the big thing…Pinchy seems to be hanging out up and down.  He’s moved away from his upper right to lower left bandolier position.  Doubt he’ll stay where he is, but it is kinda exciting.  And a wee bit terrifying.  And really cool.