Updating Some Lists: Music and Books...

First, the new music added since the last Music List update: 

Covered by Katey Sagal.  Always amazed at how many talents this woman has.  Her voice is perfect for the material she chooses, and she DOES have a voice, she knows how to sing properly.  (Unlike many a pop princess these days...)
Here's a review from the SF Gate

Songs Of Anarchy: Music from Seasons 1-4
Always pretty good music on that show.  Wanted time to appreciate it better.

Songs of Anarchy:  Volume 2  Second verse, same as the first.

Wintersmith by Steeleye Span in cooperation with Terry Pratchett.  LOVE the Tiffany Aching books, absolutely adore the Nac Mac Feegle, and so this album was a natural for me.  It is fabulous.  Have liked Steeleye Span since my sister introduced me to them in the '70s.  Excellent, excellent music, and must for Pratchett fans! 

Books to be read.  Always a long list with me these days, I find interesting stuff to read faster than I can read it.  (The hazards of working in a library!)

Still Reading:  Mole People by Jennifer Toth  Interesting reading about actual people living in the tunnels under NYC.  An obvious choice for an old BATB fan like me.  Very enlightening.

Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen  Interesting to read the midlife observations of someone whose life has had a lot more "stuff" in it than mine has.  I have no children, no big career, just the job of supporting my husband's Air Force career, and now his second job, and doing my own bit to make the world better by working in a Public Library. 

To Be Read:

Help Thanks Wow by Anne Lamott
The Violinist's Thumb by Sam Kean
Sweet Tea Revenge by Laura Childs
A Friendly Game of Murder by J. J. Murphy
Death of Yesterday by M.C. Beaton
Widow's Tears by Susan Wittig Albert
Redshirts by John Scalzi
The Whole Enchilada by Diane Mott Davidson
Just One Evil Act by Elizabeth George
Ghost Gone Wild by Carolyn Hart
The Buzzard Table by Margaret Maron
It Happens In The Dark by Carl O'Connell
The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman
King's Mountain by Sharyn McCrumb
The Ballad of Tom Dooley by Sharyn McCrumb
I'm Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen by Sylvie Simmons
Low Side of the  Road: A Life of Tom Waits by Barney Hoskyns
True Grit by Charles Portis
TransAtlantic by Colum McCann
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
Wordbirds by Liesl Schillinger
Stitches by Anne Lamott

Recently Read:

Through The Evil Days by Julia Spencer Fleming

The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean

William Shakespeare's Star Wars by Ian Doescher

Kiss of Revenge by Debbie Viguie


Also planning to re-read The Name Of the Rose by Umberto Eco to participate in an experiment with a couple of my friends on Twitter to have a sort of small  'book discussion' group as we all three read the book.  It's not a small book. Hope we all have time! 

That's about all I've got this time.  Certainly seems enough to me! 

Appreciation

How to express in a few words how much you appreciate someone?  Especially someone you work with day in and day out, someone who has seen you at your most harried and/or panicked and been there to help you through it?
How about the ones you don't work with every day?  It's even harder to come up with something meaningful to say how much you appreciate the fact that they are there when they are needed, always pleasant and always prepared.
For our Staff Appreciation Day on Valentine's Day, we have been asked to write short words of appreciation for all our fellow staffers, and drop them in their "Valentine's Mailboxes" that the committee has made for everyone.
My coworkers are an exceptional group of people.  Most of them have advanced degrees, yet they work in a field that doesn't exactly pay a lot.  They are dedicated to their jobs, and they make a real difference in this community.  I feel blessed every time I go to work because I get to spend time with such a wonderful group of people.  They are fun, funny, extremely talented, and they've always got my back.  And I've got theirs.  There has never been a place I've worked before that has felt like this.  Nowhere else have I really felt like part of the team, part of the family.  I value the work my coworkers do, and they value mine.  There are days that make us all feel like we've been through a meat grinder, but most days, we have fun.  Somebody will find the humor in whatever is going on, and find a way to jolly us all through it.  We seem to take turns at it.
One way to make the humdrums lighter is to count things like how many "what are your hours?" calls we get on say, a Friday afternoon.  During the first of the year, "Do you have tax forms?" is the question likely to get the highest tally.  Some days, we could get a pretty high tally for calls about meeting rooms.

There are many people at my church that I appreciate, too.  Of course, the clergy and staff are always appreciated, because without them, we wouldn't be able to do anything.  I really appreciate my fellow choristers.  We've been singing together every week now for a LOT of years.  For only about 16 of us, we have a really good sound going on.  Here's a link to one of our recorded anthems. (First soprano lines brought to you by yours truly and Lou Kohlman.)   This link is to the whole audio library.  I only sing in Cathedral Choir.  Lou is also in Musica Sacra, if you want to hear more of her wonderful voice.  I love singing with Lou.  Lea wasn't with us when we recorded these songs, but she has become a vital part of us.  Now that Lea is with us, there are three first sopranos, and breathing becomes a much less complicated issue.  Now you know why I get so frustrated when I can't sing.  Singing with these fine musicians is a great privilege, and a LOT of fun.

There are also people, some of whom I have never met in person, who are there for me and cheer me up on down days.  They are my online friends.  Now, most of my Facebook friends are people I have met in person.  There are a few I have only known through correspondence, some of them for YEARS.  There are newer friends, friends of friends really, that have become very dear.  One of those is a lady that writes for a living.  Some days, she goes on a tear and the posts come flying out, and most often they are absolutely hilarious.  She has brightened many days for me.  She is a friend of my friend Lou.  When I first "met" her on line, I knew she was all right if she was a friend of Lou.  I have also met her brother a few times.  So, Anne, know that you and your sense of humor are greatly appreciated here.  You've been a real friend, even if we've never met face to face.

All my Beauty and the Beast fan friends are folks I have met only online, as I have never yet made it to a convention.  These are some very talented people.  I haven't really gotten to know anyone well yet, but they have been welcoming and friendly, and it is great fun to spend time chatting with them, or emailing.
There have been other, earlier posts in this blog appreciating various groups of people,but I felt the need today to do this, to say I appreciate the people who have found their way into my life, by whatever means, and I am very glad to know them.

One last and very important appreciation.  My husband.  Matt has put up with more than you would believe in the almost 29 years of our marriage so far.  He is always there when I need him, though when he was active duty, that wasn't an easy thing.  He puts up with my whims, he fixes my computer, he still sees me as I was 30 years ago.  Bless him.  I see the pictures he made for me today, and I know that lovely girl is long gone.  See for yourself:

 Me, in 1984 on our wedding day.

Me this morning.
I rest my case.

How To Be Happier

My thanks to a Twitter friend, Anna Cathy Wells for sharing this quote a couple of days ago.
The above is good advice.   It advocates a life of service, of being someone others can count on, not just admire.
Another way to look at it is to be the one who supports others.  Be appreciative of those who do the thankless jobs in life.  Do what you can to make their jobs easier.  Be grateful for the ones who always show up on time and ready to go.  When there is someone in your life that always makes you glad they are there, let them know.
If all you are able to be in this life is a member of the "audience", be the best one ever.  Support those that entertain and challenge you.  Do not just be a demanding fan or consumer of entertainment, encourage those who do good work.  Even if they are just local kids in a school play, encourage those who put it all out there and really try.  To get up in front of other people and perform is very, very scary.  Even if you know you're good.  Everybody has bad days, everybody has things go wrong, and to put yourself out there takes courage.  Support the ones who face up to the challenge and give it their best.
There is a lady that I admire very much.  She will tell you that she isn't anything special, just an ordinary person.  She's wrong.  She is extraordinary.  She is supportive of the endeavors of others, and faithful in that support.  She is a tireless volunteer for our library, and yet she is humble, unwilling to accept praise for all she does.  She is also my fan club.  She comes to all my voice recitals.  She cheers on ALL the singers, not just me.  She always tells the nervous ones how much better they are doing,(and they are!) , she always appreciates those of us with more experience and who have been working longer.  Seeing her smiling face in the audience makes it a lot easier for me to get up there and sing my heart out.  I value Vickie more than I can say.  Her absence is always noticed, her presence very much enjoyed by all who know her.
This world needs more people willing to be supportive and fewer striving for notice.  I tell you, Vickie's absence causes a lot more concern than the absence of a loud attention hound would.  (We don't really have anyone in our circle that falls into that category.  Everybody I know is pretty supportive, but then they are all church musicians or library folk , or some variation thereof.)
Still, think about the people around you, the ones that do or say little things that make your day brighter.  The ones who are always prepared for the task at hand, and therefore make your job easier.  Appreciate them.  Tell them you do.  You may find out that others appreciate you, as well.