Doin' the Dewey

There is no wonder I am a librarian.  As a child, I kept my room tidy, and my bookshelves in order.  I love organization.  It gives me a sense of security, a feeling that all is well in my world.

As a librarian, I am always putting books in order.  Most libraries, mine included, use the Dewey Decimal classification system.  It was invented by Melville Dewey over a hundred years ago and arranges books into categories, such as the 200s for religion, the 700s for Arts and Sports, and so forth.  I'm a big fan of the Dewey system, as it's the one I know best.  (The other well-known system of book organization is the Library of Congress classification system or LC, which is used primarily by large libraries, such as university ones.)

There are always books to be shelved, and I'm always Dewey-ing it!



Vernal Equinox

Spring officially begins today at 7:21 pm EDT.  It's a sunny, cool day in eastern North Carolina.  We've enjoyed some lovely spring-like days here recently, so I hope we've seen the last of the cold ones.  Flowers are blooming and trees are budding.  My allergies can attest to that! 

I did a major trimming of our camellia bush a few weeks ago.  It was in poor shape, with lots of dead limbs and suffering from years of neglect from folks who had lived here prior to us.  I was hesitant to trim it so severely, but am happy to see how many blooms have now appeared.  I think it's feeling very healthy and happy!

20 Years

2011 marks a 20-year milestone for me.  It was in March of 1991 that I began telling stories on a professional level.  I left my job at The Governor Morehead School for the Blind in February of that year to pursue storytelling on a full-time basis.  And, although I have -- at times -- had to work part-time jobs and even full-time jobs, I have never regretted that decision.  My life has been greatly enriched by being a storyteller.  In fact, I know that I would not be the person I am today had I not taken that leap of faith two decades ago.

Over my career, I have shared stories at hundreds of schools, libraries, bookstores, museums and other venues.  I have told to young and old.  My travels have taken me from all ends of North Carolina through the Southeast to the Great Lakes and as far away as eastern Canada. 

Some of my proudest achievements as a storyteller include the founding and editing of the Journal of Tar Heel Tellers, co-founding the North Carolina Storytelling Guild, leading the Historic Washington Ghost Walk, and presenting at the international storytelling conference in Newfoundland, Canada, last summer.  Still, there is no greater joy than standing on stage and simply sharing stories with listeners!

I've always thought of myself as a modern day bard, traveling the land to share stories and legends.  Below is a copy of my original storytelling brochure.



Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) occurs this Tuesday, March 8th.  While most Americans connect the celebration with the city of New Orleans, other places along the Gulf Coast have strong historical and cultural ties to the holiday, including Biloxi and Mobile.  Around the world, Carnival is celebrated in various forms, especially in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sydney, Australia, and Quebec City, Canada.

Mardi Gras came to North America in the early 1700s with French Catholics.  It  is the culmination of a time of celebrating before the Christian observance of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday.

Laissez les bons temps rouler!