All Staff Day 2007

Well, I survived my 4th All Staff Day. It is getting easier each year, recognizing more and more people. I got to chat with Alicia some. She was in one of the training classes I went to a few months ago, and she had just started her job real recently.
We left at 8am, carpooling, to get to Lacey, which was the same location as last year. I kinda like the spot. Not too far away (30 minutes) and a good sized area.

After we signed in, we got raffle tickets to use in a few prize drawings.

There was a bookcart and several boxes filled with advance copy books that had been stockpiled for a good half a year. Those were free and up for grabs. I made several trips to browse around throughout the day, and snagged 5 of them. Also, after the prizes were drawn (I didn't win), some people didn't like the books that they got, so they tossed them on the cart. And someone tossed a tarot deck there! I immediately snatched it up. Unfortunately, there was no book with it. I looked over the deck when I got home and it is absolutely gorgeous. Better than the other two I have. There are some pics here: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/gilded/
That was definately worth the trip!

Okay, a rundown of what all I did:

We had a welcoming speech and talked at a bit about what was going on at all the libraries. Chehalis got a mention, because we are getting a new building.

Then one of the key speakers started talking. Apperiently he has written some nutrition books or something. He was all telling us about reading labels and serving sizes. And how some things are misleading, like the 2% milk isn't really just 2% fat, etc. He talked for an hour, complete with powerpoint presentation. After 30 minutes, it started to feel like we were being lectured at. When he said something about too much cheese being bad for you, our whole table became hungry for cheese.

After he was done, we got to go to our first of 2 sessions that we had signed up for a few months back. I went on a library tour. Aside of it being great to stretch the legs (it was a bit of a walk) it was boooring. We didn't spend any time in the stacks, just looking at the rooms and artwork (some of the paintings looked like they were painted by an artistic 2 year old). The most impressive thing was the study rooms. Most had windows in them that had a spectacular view. Would be an awesome place to just sit and write write write. You can check out the rooms so that you are the only person in one. Pity I don't live closer.

We broke for lunch after that and visited around some more. There were stands along one wall, or advertising and freebies. I bought a on sale Timberland Library purple T-shirt. I always wanted something with our logo on it. Was only 7 bucks. Almost too small for me since they didn't have a medium. I also got 3 pens from various locations, a bottle of hand sanitizer, a stress test card (where you press your thumb to it and see what color it changes to) and...something else. I also could have gotten a toothbrush, but I had enough crap that I was clutching.

Then we had our second session. Mine was with Megan Chance. The description for that session reads:
Award winning historical novelist Megan Chance speaks on research, fiction, and the crutial role of the library in the pursuit of her dream to become a published author. Megan, who lived in Olympia as a young girl, has many fond memories of leaving the OL library with armloads and armloads of books.
She was fascinating to listen to. She has written 11 books so far, and does tons of research. She has an old library card catalogue filled with index cards of info. She doesn't write the sort of books that I read, but I purchased her newest one anyway and got it signed since I enjoyed listening to her.
3 our of 4 years I managed to purchase something and get it signed. :D

After that we all had another speaker, Joe Kane. It was amazing. This is from a webpage:
In 1985, writer Joe Kane set out with eight others to navigate the length of the Amazon. Some were expert kayakers, and others—like Kane—were novices. They descended deadly rapids that had never been run and camped in steep canyons where boulders rained down from above. They endured the attentions of poisonous snakes, Shining Path guerrillas and narcotraficantes. Four thousand two hundred miles later, only two members of the group—Kane and Piotr Chmielinski—emerged into Brazil's Marajo Bay to taste the salt of the Atlantic. Running the Amazon chronicles their adventures in thrilling detail with humor, honesty and warmth. The excerpt below tells the story of their encounter with the first big water of the trip. They are running the Apurimac, or"Great Speaker,": which the Incas considered their most powerful oracle — speaking to them through thundering rapids. Kane writes that during the rainy season, the roar of the rapids can be heard from miles away. . .
He only had time to talk about half of his journey, but he had a ton of pictures on a slideshow. I wish that there was some way to capture that speech. I should have bought his book, but I was low on money. Regretting that now. Each table had a chance to win a copy....combine our birthdate day and month. Who ever was lowest won one. Mine was 31. Bleh! Lois won at our table.

We also had auctions at some point. A wild blackberry pie went for over 50 dollars.

Then we had employee recognition...new employees stood, awards were handed out. I think I get recognized next year for being there 5 years...or the following year..

Then there were grand prize drawings, for like a vacation package. I never win anything lol.

Then goodbyes and home.

oooh, on the way to the freeway, there was this crazy squirrel...it was running around in circles on the sidewalk. It darted out into traffic and almost got flattened before running back to the sidewalk. It was in panic mode. I think it got stranded on the sidewalk and was freaking out....was a busy bumper to bumper road, 2 lane highway. Bet it didn't live long :-/

So that was my 8 hour day on Monday ^.^