Discovering The Public Library!

Yes... you read that right. Recently, I had an epiphany when my wife and I were thinking of something to do with our little daughter, one Sunday afternoon. I never thought to go before, but I picked up a weekly circular for our public library and was instantly amazed at the activities and events advertised. I thought aloud,"this is all going on at the library?! Maybe we should check it out." So we did.

Surprisingly, our public library was only a 5 minute drive from our house. Entering the automatic doors and initially glancing around, I had a face of a kid in a candy store. I'm sure the regular patrons thought I was weird for staring in awe. Part of my amazement was the fact that the library wasn't just a library anymore... at least not the type I had known growing up.

The interior was massive and contained everything, from books to PS3 videogames! It was structured almost exactly like a Borders or Barnes & Noble store; the only difference being that you didn't have to buy any items to enjoy them.

After registering for a library card, my wife and I received a complete list of what we were entitled to borrow as registered library patrons. Anything from CDs, audio books, the most recent movies, the latest magazines, computer software and console video games, could be checked out - some for a minimal fee. There was a large play and story-telling area for children, a periodical and cafe section mostly frequented by adults, and a dedicated "teen" room, which I was too old to enter. Amazing!

So, after spending about an hour looking around, my wife and I settled on the following items:

• 1 audio book (Atonement)
• 1 video game (Soul Caliber IV for PS3)
• 1 children's book (Eloise goes to Moscow)

I wish I had known about this magical place sooner...

Baby it's cold outside!

Well, it's sad, but I can feel Winter almost upon us and we aren't even done with Fall yet. It was about 43 degrees Fahrenheit when I left my house to go to work this morning. I was in denial as I put on my scarf, overcoat, and gloves just to head out to my car.

Where did the summer go? I can still remember listening to Michael Buble croon, "The summer wind, keeps blowing in... from across the sea..." It didn't seem like long ago that I was driving my family to some quaint New Jersey town on a scorching, sunny day.

Heck... even the radio station are now playing holiday music in preparation for Christmas... and we haven't even passed Thanksgiving yet!!! Just another sign of the times - the rampant commercialization of every friggin holiday that we held sacred as a child!

I can't wait until next week when they start advertising Valentine dinner specials... my, how time flies!

Vote for America!

The day has descended upon us... it's time to vote! I'm not here to promote my own views of each Presidential candidate's agendas or even agendas of the Republican and Democratic parties. I'm just here to say that it is time to vote!

Today I, as well as many others, have seen an overflow of eager, registered voters flood the polling stations. It's amazing that more people than ever have showed up to demonstrate that they care about the country and its future... or maybe their own not-so-obvious agendas? Nevertheless, I was shocked to venture out at 6am this morning and witness a long line wrapping around my designated polling station.

If you read the news lately, you would see that America is not prepared for the upsurge of interest in the Presidential polls. Read a clip here from Fox News (Broken Machines, Shortages Plague Voters).

But, what is it that drives all these voters to action, when action was already needed years ago? Is it truly "change"? Is it merely the impressive rhetoric spouting out of one charismatic candidate's pie-hole? Is it fear of the "same" 8 years that we've lived under the shadow of a Bush? Is it the ridicule showered upon a certain Vice Presidential candidate's reputation, made popular by a consistently leftist, Saturday night skit-show? Is it racial tension?

Who knows? All I can say is, "Good for you, America!" Interest has finally peaked for your welfare. Whether the reasons are right or wrong, at least Americans are out to do something about the way things are. This is what the United States stands for... freedom to choose.

Now, let's just hope that the broken polls, missing ballots, and "mistakes", don't lead to another "recount"!