Public Places and Weird Landscaping and GERMS

I am at the library!

I like libraries in general, and they are an exceedingly important part of the community. They serve the whole of the community--not just certain subsets. Of course, there are subsets less likely to use a library, but they still could if they wanted to, you know?

I’m sitting in non-fiction because it’s quiet. I have a corner and a squooshy chair and a window and an hour on the parking meter. I’m here because I have an hour and a bit to kill between the end of my workday and the start of my first dance class of the evening, and I’d rather shell out a dollar on parking than five for the privilege of sitting in a Starbucks.

Also, it’s quieter here.

Also also, I can see down into the backyard of the neighboring house, and they have a spectacular bloom of sludge on their rectangular pond, an obelisk, and a GIANT FORK resting against a tree. Their dog is sitting on a bench like he thinks he’s people. There may also be a giant spoon on the ground next to the fork, but it’s difficult to tell from here if it’s that or a giant butter knife.

I have no idea who lives at this house, but I want to be their friend.

Actually, I’m pretty sure it’s a spoon.

Part of me really wants to peruse the stacks and find new and interesting books to check out. The other part of me is remembering the completely out-of-control ‘to-read’ pile I already have at home. Oh well. It’s probably better that I’m camped out in non-fiction, really, because I’m far less likely to see anything that appeals...though that book over there on the bottom shelf about the Galapagos looks like it would have really good illustrations--NO! STEP AWAY FROM THE READING MATERIAL! You’d do better to pick up the Russian/English dictionary and actually try to learn something rather than just ogling pretty pictures of birds…

I wonder if it’s usually busier here at half past five on a Monday? Is everyone at home trying to outsmart the latest noteworthy illness? I read a good one about that today, actually, from John Moe, host of the podcast The Hilarious World of Depression.



It’s not as though I’m brushing this whole epidemic/pandemic/armageddon thing off, but I don’t remember everyone getting quite this hysterical about the last however many big flu-type germs that went around. Maybe I’m not remembering correctly? Either way, JUST WASH YOUR FUCKING HANDS. WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY. Protect the more vulnerable by using good judgement and basic hygiene.

DON’T LICK STRANGERS.

You can lick people you know all you want. You more or less know where they’ve been.