test blog #10

Our photos from Egypt and Jordan are now on Flickr . Below are the various albums. I've also added links to the individual wmtc posts . egypt / giza egypt / pyramids view inn egypt / cairo / egyptian museum egypt / cairo egypt / saqarra, dahshur, memphis egypt / dendara egypt / abydos egypt / luxor / luxor museum egypt / luxor / luxor temple egypt / luxor / karnak egypt / luxor / deir el-medina egypt / luxor / medinat habu egypt / luxor / ruins of abu egypt / luxor egypt / luxor / valley of the kings egypt / kom ombo egypt / edfu egypt / aswan / nubian museum egypt / aswan / philae egypt / aswan / unfinished obelisk egypt / aswan / hotel and nearby ruins egypt / abu simbel jordan / madaba jordan / petra

Zadie Smith is on my list of "authors I will follow anywhere". I may not love everything about every book she writes, but that's unimportant. For me, her books are always worth reading -- the writing is beautiful, the characters feel real, the insights into the human condition are interesting and thought-provoking and ring true. I'm always excited to hear Smith has published a new book, and Swing Time  did not disappoint. Smith is no minimalist. If you like your novels plot-driven, you might wonder, why did I just read so many words just to go from A to B? I do love and admire minimal writing -- such as Kent Haruf 's -- but I also love the lavish, textured tapestry that Smith lays down. Her writing is rich in detail, but not overburdened. Swing Time  is narrated by a woman looking back at different times in her life. The story cuts back and forth among three narratives, as time passes and the narratives move closer together chronologically. I knew the three thread...

James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room , a landmark in LGBT literature, is one of our library's current "Raves & Faves". The 1956 novel takes place in Paris, narrated by a young American man who is trying to come to terms with his sexuality. In the past, this was said to be a "gay novel;" now it is seen as "bisexual novel". Leaving aside the obvious fact that novels don't possess sexuality, those labels are interpretation. The narrator himself doesn't have a name for his orientation; for him, neutral, descriptive language doesn't exist. The story takes place in 1950s Paris, alive with expatriates, in a male subculture that is an open secret. The men who frequent Guillaume's bar are more open than they can be in their hometowns and original cultures, but their lives are still lived largely underground. Our narrator -- his name is David, but the name is seldom used -- tells the story during a momentous night, one of pain and shame, l...

Girl: Do you have this book, something like, "keeping a secret about you"? Me: Let's take a look in the catalogue. [Stalling for time while scrolling through titles in my mind.] Hmm, do you mean Keeping You a Secret ? Girl: Yes! I took a bus all the way from the South Common branch to here to get this book so I hope you have it. I recognize it as a good title by Julie Peters, excellent writer of LGBT-themed girl books. Me: Let's go over to the youth section to look for it. Girl: Do you know any other good books? Anything LGBT! I want to read lots of LGBT stuff. Me: You've come to the right place, we have a lot of it. I'm making a list now for our upcoming Pride display. [Technically speaking this is not true -- but I will be updating our list in about a month or so.] Girl, pumping fist: Yes! We get to the shelf... and it's there! Yay! We're both happy. Girl: Is there any place I can charge my phone? I point out some places she can hang out, she thanks ...

I'm actually getting to the annual wmtc movie awards while the baseball season is still young -- a sign that I have a bit more time to myself, as our new local ticks along under the guidance of an awesome team. First, the annual recap: - Canadian musicians and comedians (2006-07 and 2007-08) - my beverage of choice (2008-09) - famous people who died during the past year (2009-10) - where I'd like to be (2010-11) - vegetables (2011-12) (I was out of ideas!) - Big Life Events in a year full of Big Life Changes (2012-13) - cheese (I'm getting desperate!) (2013-14) - types of travels (2014-15) and last year I reprised  famous people who died , plus there is  famous people who died, part 2 . the picket line This year's theme was a no-brainer for me. In late 2015 and through 2016, I piloted my union through contract negotiations and a strike. It was the first strike for the Mississauga Library Workers, and the first strike against the City of Mississauga! We were out ...

Even though I don't blog very much anymore, my editor still manages to find some highlights. Best of wmtc, 2016 edition.

The 2017 CUPE Ontario Library Workers Conference was a very special event for the Mississauga Library Workers Union. Over the course of two days, our 2016 strike and the great gains we made for our members were celebrated from the podium again and again. In the same way, the tremendous perseverance and solidarity shown by the Essex County Library Workers -- on strike for a stunning eight months -- were noted, applauded, cheered, and celebrated, again and again. For the 1989 executive board, it was a joyous event. The theme of this year's conference was Disrupt and Transform -- which is exactly what our strikes did. They transformed our union, our relationship with our employer, and ourselves. Library Warriors! We were welcomed by CUPE Ontario Library Chair Maureen O'Reilly , who is president of Local 4948, Toronto Public Library Workers , and by Chad Goebel , Vice President of Windsor District CUPE Council. Amanda Meloche , President of the Windsor Public Library Workers Union...