Unscientific Study

There is nothing scientific about a study I'm conducting. I don't use the scientific method, track my results, or even worry about variables. I'm just trying something to see what the results are.

Two weeks ago I started a news hiatus. I went from reading six or seven different news sources a day to not looking at the news at all. I avoid my news based bookmarks, change the TV channel if the news comes on, and have even avoided watching Jon Stewart all in the name of psychology. And I've discovered a startling revelation. Okay not really startling, but a revelation.

Since I've stopped reading the news, I'm in a much better mood. Even with my not feeling great, I've been much happier. I'm much more relaxed and my anxiety has dropped off dramatically. (heck I'm sleeping without ear plugs) I'm reading a lot more, writing a lot more, and am feeling much more creative in general. I've been scanning art blogs and doing some of my own drawing. I've been starting new short stories and having ideas just randomly pop to mind. I'm in a strangely good place.

I'm not sure how much of this is news related. My odd near death (or at least what felt like near death) experience is certainly playing a part. I'm sure a lot of the creativity is due to my refocusing on writing and drawing with the feeling that time is short. My goal is to have a published work by the time Jeff is out of school. But there are other factors as well. I haven't played WoW at all during these two weeks either, the longest break I've ever taken. Jeff has been very focused on school which keeps the TV in the house off and the WoW playing to a minimum. Even his WoW playing has dropped off dramatically. Not playing gives me tons of time and I'm suddenly interested in everything.

But since this isn't scientific, I have no idea which of these is contributing to my good mood. Eventually I may try to add one in at a time and see what helps or hinders. I may eventually go back to taking time and life for granted. But for right now I'm enjoying the feeling. I'm enjoying my more relaxed feeling. And I'll ride this as long as I can. Not scientific at all, but I'd call the experiment as success.

Geek The Library

The library system has long needed a good PR campaign. Libraries for some reason are still seen as dusty, musty buildings filled with books and librarians who wander around shushing. If you've been in a library recently, that is simply not the case. Most libraries nowadays are becoming community hang-outs, game centers, movie rental places, and internet cafes. Oh and they still house books. And slowly the library's image is changing.

OCLC is looking to change that image a bit faster with its new Geek the Library campaign. As a self-described geek I was interested in the name. Geek can have multiple meanings but OCLC appears to be creating their own definition for this. Geek in this sense is to have a strong interest in and/or be knowledgable about a particular subject. It is about the subjects we are passionate about. (the original definition of geek was a circus performer, a wild man who bit the heads of live chickens. Fun fact) The website is a mixture of information and community forum. People are encourage to write in about their passions and share how they got interested in their subject. They are also encouraged to say how the library has helped them learn more. There are links to facebook, youtube, and myspace for people to link to and for people to spread the word about libraries.

There is information and event ideas to show the public how valuable a library can be to their community. There is a section about all the different roles a library plays. And suggestions about how to get better funding for libraries and improve services. The site is simple but interesting. It is highlighted with people's faces and what they geek. There are wallpaper images available for download and customizable gear for sale. (although when I tried them today the download links didn't work)

The focus is on making this a grassroots movement to improve libraries and the funding sources. People forget that during times of economic crisis the number of people using the library goes way up, and the amount of budget available to the library goes down. This is OCLC's way of helping out. I'm a huge fan of any library initiative and excited that this one is very grassroots. They are capitalizing on the current social networks and creating one of their own. It is a wonderful program that I hope does well. Then again I always want to see libraries and library programs do well. I geek libraries....along with a host of other subjects. What do you geek?