Wii Had a Good Time at the Library

Dozens of people turned out at the Library today to play some Wii games. They enjoyed activities such as downhill skiing, karting, and bowling. We hope to see you at our next Wii event on Friday, January 2 from 9:30-11:30 AM and 1:30-4:30 PM.

Gobble, Gobble!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope the holiday is a festive and happy one for everyone. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because, if you get into the spirit of the day, you almost have to take a step back and really look at your life and all the blessings you have. Yes, it can be hectic and stressful cleaning and cooking and traveling, but hopefully you will all have the opportunity to pause at some point and really, truly be thankful.

Be thankful for friends and family, of course, and for all those in your life that love and care about you. Be thankful that you are alive, that you live in a free country, and that you live in an age when you can communicate with people all around the world, easily and freely. Be thankful for the servicemen and women who defend our country and help to preserve our freedoms. On the heels of an historic election, be thankful that you can vote-- even in America it wasn't all that long ago that women and minorities couldn't.

If you are lucky enough to have a job, house, car, etc., be thankful for all of those things-- and remember those that don't and do what you can for them. If, like me, you are a sports junky, be grateful for the athletes that can't spend Thanksgiving with their families because they are playing a game for your entertainment (and if you would want to root for Kurt Warner on Thursday, I wouldn't be opposed, since he is my quarterback in my fantasy football league).

And remember to relax and enjoy-- and be thankful that we live in a world of enough plenty where we can relax and enjoy. Then, on Friday, come back into the Library and be thankful for all the wonderful things we have to offer to you. Enjoy our DVDs, or read our newspapers, or play a little Wii with the kids. Oh-- and we have books, too. Good ones! Free with membership (which is also free).

So, I'll add that onto the list, too. Be thankful for free, public libraries. I know I am.

And, just because it may be the single funniest turkey-related TV episode EVER, be thankful for Youtube and the fact that you can watch this whenever you like.

"As god is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.

Go Pack Go!

Towards the purpose of everyone getting to know a little more about me-- my favorite sport is football and my favorite team is the Green Bay Packers. You can make the argument that I had little freewill in this matter, growing up as I did in the Fox Valley, about 25 minutes south of Lambeau Field. But there was always the possibility that I could have rebelled against my parents and grandparents and supported (shudder) the Chicago Bears.

While I was clearly well-indoctrinated to be a fan of the Packers as a child, I also received a healthy dose of "Think it through, then make your own decision" and consequently I prefer to believe that I arrived at being a huge fan of the Packers mostly independently. Given how awful the Pack was during most of my formative years (the Pack had two winning seasons in the time between when I was 7 and 18. Two. And one of those was the strike shortened year (5-3-1), while the other was 1978 (8-7-1)) I am either diehard, a masochist or terminally thick. I prefer the first of those three options.

So, as I prepare for a meeting that will keep me from watching most of the Packer v. Saints game tonight, I felt it only appropriate I take a short bit of time out to post my support for the team from the smallest market in ANY professional sport. Go PACK Go!

Interesting side note-- I lived in Los Angeles for nearly three years. It was impressive how many Packer bars there were out there. Packers, Steelers, 49ers and Cowboys. Also impressive is the dedication of those bars and their patrons-- NFL games start at 10 in the morning on the west coast. Yikes! A hardy group, no doubt. On the plus side, the Monday night games got done by about Nine-o-clock. That was kinda cool.

Library Closures: Nov. 27, Dec. 12

Unsurprisingly, the Library will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27. We'll be open the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving, but not on the actual holiday. Stop in on Friday the 28th to participate in our Wii Play programs, or on Saturday the 29th and 9:30 for a Wii Fit session (adults only for Wii Fit, please).

Additionally, we will be closed on Friday, December 12 for the entire day for some long overdue collection maintenance and a staff educational in-service. We will reopen Saturday, Dec. 13 for our usual hours.

Wii at the Library

Wii are lucky here at Mukwongo Community Library. Wii will have the opportunity to showcase three new games purchased by Waukesha Federated Library System.

The debut of Wii Music, and Rayman: Raving Rabbids 3 will be on Friday, November 29th at Wii Play. Stop in anytime, 9:30 AM through 11:30 AM and again 1:30 PM through 4:30 PM.

Wii Fit rolls out on Saturday the 30th at Tech Talk from 9:30 AM through 11:30 AM.

Upcoming Events

The Library has some great events coming up, so stop in and check them out. Tomorrow morning at 10:00 am, bring your young ones in for our lapsit storytime. On Saturday come in for our Paws to Read program-- an opportunity for youngsters to read to a trained service dog. This Saturday, Steinway the Great Dane will be available in the library from 2 to 4 pm. Scoopy, the Golden Retriever, will be in next Monday night (Nov. 24) at 7 and would love to have some young folks read to him.

Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 6 pm, the Library will be hosting Family Film Night with a showing of the classic film, Lady and the Tramp. Bring a pillow and a blanket and snuggle in.

We will be closed on Thanksgiving, Nov. 27, but the popular Wii Play program will be back next week, on Friday the day after. Come in and work off some of that turkey and tryptophan. These session will feature the new Wii Music release as well as other favorites like Guitar Hero, Ravin Rabbits and Mario Kart. Game with us from 9:30 to 11:30 and from 1:30 to 4:00.

And if that's not enough, come in for Tech Talk on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 9:30 for a demonstration of Wii Fit. Try out the new Wii fit board and learn how the Wii is attempting to avoid contributing to the couch potatoisation of the world.

Your Library: A Place to Catch Up

Whether it is finally reading all those literary masterpieces you've meant to pick up for years, brushing up on small engine repair, or re-watching Indiana Jones I-III before sitting down with your new copy of The Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls, the Library is the perfect place to get up to speed.

For me, I've been taking advantage of the Library's holdings for shows that air on HBO and Showtime-- stations which I do not have. For the past few weeks I have been immersed in the saga of Tony Soprano and his families. I did not participate in the Sopranos craze when it was happening between 1999 and 2006 because we don't have HBO. So, I heard how awesome it was, but never got to appreciate it directly.

But now-- now I can check out the Sopranos one season at a time and watch them at my leisure. Usually one a night, but sometimes two in one day, while other days are just too full to share any time with Tony, Christopher, Carmella, Paulie and all the rest. And now I understand what all the hype was about-- the writing and acting is as good as I had heard and better than I expected (I was prepared for the reality to not match the hype). Just great stuff.

I am currently in the middle of season 4 and already I am sad to think there are fewer unviewed episodes than there are ones I have watched. Still, what a cool thing-- to have those episodes available to me simply by having a library card.

Once I do finish the Sopranos I think my next adventure will be to dive into the second season of Dexter. I saw the first season on NBC last year and liked it a lot, so I'm curious to see the second season and also to see it unedited from the original Showtime broadcasts. I know the Sopranos aren't as good on A&E as they are in their original HBO format, so I'm curious to see how much different the original Showtime cuts are than the NBC edits.

Final point-- if there is a TV show, movie or book that you'd like to see the Library own, let us know. All requests are reviewed by the staff, but we generally do purchase requested items since we know that there is a demand for them and we do our best to keep our patrons happy.

Silent Auction Items of the Day: #16 and #18

Item #16 is two general admission tickets to the Milwaukee Art Museum, while item #18 is two tickets to the Milwaukee Public Museum. Bid on item #16 and spend a day in Milwaukee, soaking in the marvelous art collections of the MAM, set in the lovely Calatrava designed building. The art museum is currently featuring a first of its kind interactive art display, where you help create the art! If you wait until next year, you can view the museum's upcoming "SENSORY OVERLOAD: Light, Motion, Sound, and the Optical in Art Since 1945.

Or rediscover the Milwaukee Public Museum and visit the butterflies, the Streets of Old Milwaukee, and the T-Rex. The Titanic exhibit will be running at the MPM through next May, and though there is an additional entry fee for it, the exhibit has received rave reviews. Item #18, valued at $22, currently has a bid of $10, less than the price of one ticket.

Stop in and bid on either or both!

Silent Auction Item of the Day: #36

Over the coming weeks, we'll be highlighting the many and varied items up for bid and raffle in the annual Midnight Magic Silent Auction and Raffle. All proceed benefit the library and bidding will remain open until the evening of Dec. 6.

Item #36:
Participate in a murder and the subsequent investigation! Well, not an actual murder, of course, but item #36 is a murder mystery dinner hosted by longtime Mukwonago residents Pat and Renee Hitt. The prize will be awarded to the top 8 bidders, with a minimum bid of $300 (for all 8 slots) or $38 per individual slot.

Here's the back story:

It is August, 1959, in the small town of Mukwonago. The local high school class of 1954 has scheduled its five year reunion to coincide with the return of Rockford "Rock 'N Roley", the nationally famous rock 'n roll star. Rock, a member of the '54 graduation class, has agreed to begin the festivities with a concert. A group of Rock's high school friends have planned to meet with the star after the show to talk about old times. Excitement is running high until the recollection of a high school prank leads to the discovery of murder. The friends must dig into the past to determine who amongst them has committed the crime.

Don't just go to a play, be a part of it! Who knows, maybe you'll even discover that you are a murderer!

Library Survives Pirate Boarding

It's always a little worrisome when you knowingly invite pirates to your place and let them roam. Pirates aren't exactly known for their consideration of other people's property, after all. Nor for their cleanliness, for that matter. But sometimes you have to take a chance. Fortunately, last weekend's pirate encounter was contained to the Library's meeting room and we managed to avoid being plundered and burnt to the ground.

Certainly all those that attended had a great time learning about the pirate life from re-enactor Jim Schneck and his young assistant pirates. The crowd was enthusiastic, sometimes enthralled and the number of hats, cutlasses and skulls and bones was great to see. Thanks to Jim and to everyone who came out. Altogether now: Arrrghh! Avast ye scurvy dogs!

Bid Early, Bid Often!

The Friends of the Mukwonago Library are holding their annual Midnight Magic Silent Auction and Raffle as we speak... okay, as I type. There are some fabulous items up for bid and included in the raffle, so stop in to the Library and check them out. Get your Christmas shopping done early and then bask in the warmth of knowing that your purchase is benefiting the Library.

Silent auction bids are being accepted now through 7:00 pm on Dec. 6, the night of Midnight Magic. Raffle tickets may be purchased until that time as well, with the drawings for the winners be done that evening after 7:00.

Here's a small sample of the many wonderful items open for bidding or in the raffle:

Gocks Gather at the Library

In honor of October's Teen Read Week, we celebrated Teens at the library all month long with several programs including the Goth Sock Contest. Teens were invited to grab a sock and adorn it with bits of this and that to create a unique personality. The results prove that the Teens in Mukwonago have abundant creative talent. Here are the contest winners:

"Vladimir Shade” by Joshua S., grade 9
$75 gift card to Brookfield Square to buy some new socks!

“Evelynn” by Jordan H., Grade 10
$25 gift card to Brookfield Square to buy some new socks!

“Veronica Oleander” by Katie S., grade 7
$25 gift card to Brookfield Square to buy some new socks!

Other entries receiving some Rocky Rococo Pizza:

“Charlotte” by Caitlyn L., grade 10
“Darkness” by Joey B., grade 8
“Steve Hades Middleton” by Allison R., grade 8
“Spooky” by Alison K., grade 7
“Susie” by Kailyn L., grade 7
“Moonunit” by James B., grade 9

Congratulations Winners!

To view more images of the Goth Sock puppets, visit Teen Territory at the Mukwonago Community Library on Facebook or on the blog at http://teenterritory53149.blogspot.com/

Books & Bears Drive

Two freshmen at Mukwonago High School are challenging the community to donate books and stuffed animals to the Mukwonago Food Pantry. Brooke Malsch & Kristie Martinez are asking the community to donate one new stuffed animal and one new book as a set, to be included with the Thanksgiving baskets the Food Pantry distributes.

It's a terrific project and the Library is pleased to be a drop point for book & bear sets. There's a box for donations by the check out desk. For further information, check out the project's website at: http://mukwonagobooksandbears.blogspot.com/

Avast Maties!

Okay, it's cliched, but you have to admit that the moment you hear or read the word "avast" you instantly know that pirates are involved. Does avast ever get used in any other context? I suppose it must, but I'm not sure what that context would be-- the term is a nautical one for "stop" or "cease". In theory then, you could tell someone to "Avast that dog!" Of course, they'd probably look at you funny. Or decide that you were a pirate.

Which brings us back to where we started: Pirates! The Library will be holding a Pirate themed event tomorrow (Tuesday) night at 6:30pm. Aarghh! A Pirate Program, features Jim Schneck, a pirate recreator, who will describe the truth and fiction of pirate life. All those attendees who dress like a pirate-- and who doesn't like dressing up like a pirate?-- will receive a special surprise.

Rave: The Phantom Tollbooth

I vaguely remember reading Norton Juster's classic book, The Phantom Tollbooth, in probably 4th or 5th grade. I definitely remember how much I enjoyed it and how it actually inspired me to attempt to write something in the same vein. That effort involved some really bad prose (hey, I was 10) and something about an animated garbage can. The particulars of the book, however, have long since drifted into the deep, dusty recesses of my mind. Most likely keeping company with Encyclopedia Brown, the Three Investigators and the Choose Your Own Adventures series.

Fast forward to the now when I am thinking about books for my own children. Is The Phantom Tollbooth still good? Would it make sense in the 21st century as opposed to the late 1970s when I read it? Well, the best way to find out is to read it again.

So I did. And happily it is as good as I remember it and I think I probably appreciate it more as a 39-year-old than I did as ten-year-old. In many ways, Juster is a precursor to another of my favorite authors, Douglas Adams. They have the same facility to play with words, to string them together in a manner that is simultaneously absurd and brilliant, laughable and yet very wise.

Here are just a few tidbits to give you a flavor:

• Tock: The watchdog whose midsection is a watch and who needs to wound periodically.
• Alec Bings: A boy who floats in the air, slowly growing down to the ground instead of growing up from it.
• Subtraction Stew: A delicacy of Digitopolis, the kingdom dedicated to numbers and math in all their facets, it makes you hungrier with every serving. Consequently, it is very important to eat it only when you are quite full.
• The Island of Conclusions: Which you can get to very easily, by jumping naturally, but which is harder to leave, requiring a long swim through the Sea of Knowledge.
  

From my perspective, the true genius of The Phantom Tollbooth is the way it all seems so effortless. The wordplay, the crazy and inspired ideas, the puns, the upside-down and inside-out perspective on the world is all so smooth, so... natural that you wonder why you hadn't thought of things in that way yourself. Quite remarkable. And a lot of fun.

I highly recommend The Phantom Tollbooth to young readers and grown-ups alike. Forty-eight years since its creation it is still fresh, fun and thought provoking.

Rant or Rave?

One of the "regular" features I hope to incorporate into this blog are reviews of books, DVDs, and other materials available at the Library. Just some food for thought and a starting point for some impromptu discussion.

This particular Rant or Rave will be two-fold: Audiobooks: Rant or Rave and Lisey's Story, by Stephen King. I'll end all of the suspense and give the quick and dirty evaluation here: Rave. I am now a big fan of audiobooks and Lisey's Story is one of King's better efforts.

Okay, audiobooks: Love them. I presently have a 40 minute one-way commute, so having one of the many novels I haven't had a chance to read to keep me company is most excellent. And there is a certain richness to the audiobook-- you can't skim or skip or read quickly. The story will unwind in its own time and I can only sit and listen to that story being told at whatever pace the author and reader have determined is appropriate. In that way, audiobooks are somewhat akin to a play or movie, yet deeper and fuller than any dramatic presentation can be.

One other quirk to the audiobook-- the reader of the book makes a huge difference in the overall success and quality of the novel itself. Again, similar to a play or movie-- the best script in the world is easily reduced to dreck if the direction and acting is substandard and hackneyed. By the same token, a good reading of the material can greatly enhance the overall impact and effect of the written material. I recently listened to a collection of Harlan Ellison stories as read by the author-- and they were fantastic. I've always liked Ellison's edgy fiction, but it was SO much better when read by him as he intended it to be read.

Lisey's Story: I have been a Stephen King fan since about fifth grade when I read The Shining. Scared me to my toes, but I also loved it. After reading other King novels, it became clear that his work is a bit hit or miss. Or perhaps more acurately, his work at its best is tight, riveting and pure storytelling and at its worst is bloated, meandering and ponderous.

Lisey's Story falls into the former category. It is not quite on a level with The Stand or the best parts of the The Dark Tower saga, but it is very fine storytelling indeed. It is the story of Lisa Landon, Lisey, widow of bestselling author Scott Landon. Of the love they shared, of the secrets we all hide, even from ourselves or from those we love the most and are closest to. It is about memory, and grief, and loneliness and the creative process. There is quite a lot of suspense in the novel, but very little horror.

In many ways it is an autobiographical look at King himself and perhaps an answer to that age old question for popular and prolific authors: Where do you get your ideas? And it is King at his best, with little fluff or distraction, gracefully unwinding the story of a life. He is one of the finest storytellers of the 20th and early 21st century, though not as highly regarded as the Hemingways, Steinbecks and Vonneguts of the literary world.

Final words: kudos to Mare Winningham, who reads the story with admirable timing and excellent voice characterizations. She captures the central figure, Lisey Landon, extraordinarily well, but also voices the central conflict/danger of the book, Zack McCool/Jim Dooley extremely believeably. I think my appreciation for Lisey's story was greatly enhanced by hearing it read so extremely well.

So, any other thoughts? Contrary opinions? Suggestions?

Vote Well

Voting is one of the most basic rights of all Americans. But with that right comes a certain amount of responsibility-- to make an informed choice. If only there was a place that had lots of current information available in a variety of formats... newspapers, online databases, wireless access for your laptop, easy access to the Web. One-stop shopping if you will. If only....

Oh wait, that's right. There is such a place-- the Library! What a coincidence that this is a library blog. But it is-- so come in and peruse the papers, or check out the candidate's websites, or fact-check the candidate's claims.

Here are some quick links that might be of use.

Candidate's websites:
President

• John McCain (johnmccain.com)
• Barack Obama (barackobama.com)

U.S. Congress

• Marge Krupp (kruppforcongress.com)
• Paul Ryan (ryanforcongress.com)
• Joseph Kexel (josephkexel.com)

State Assembly

• Scott L. Gunderson (http://www.legis.state.wi.us/w3asp/contact/legislatorpages.aspx?house=Assembly&district=83)
  
• Aaron Robertson (http://robertsonfor83.tripod.com)

Local & National Newspapers:

• Mukwonago Chief
• Waukesha Freeman
• Milwaukee Journal Sentinal
• Chicago Tribune
  
• New York Times
  

Fact-checking websites:

• www.snopes.com
  
• factcheck.org

Fall Cleaning

Yes, typically we all clean up our homes and businesses in the spring-- after the winter. But there were some things that needed attention at the Library that just couldn't wait for next year.

Chief amongst those was the planter by our front door. A wonderful tribute to the community and its commitment to the Library, it was definitely starting to show the wear and tear of twelve years of Wisconsin weather. Over the past month, Dennis and Dave from Berg Construction has been renovating the planter and the process is nearly complete.

The last of the white "scale" will be cleaned off of the bricks in the next week or so, and all of the names that have fallen off of the planter will be replaced. Additionally, the Library's Garden Group is building a cover for the planter for the winter! Between Berg's great work and the new cover, the planter should once again be a beautiful testimonial when spring returns.

In addition to the planter, the Library's eaves are getting a long overdue fresh coat of paint. Severely weathered over the last twelve years, the eaves were in desperate need of both a fresh look and a sealing against the elements. Both should be accomplished by the end of the week.



And if that isn't enough, a serviceberry tree was recently donated to the Library in honor of Kathy McBride, the longtime Director of the Library. The tree was planted this morning, and it will remain a beautiful addition to the Library's landscaping for many years to come.