Friday, December 02, 2005

A Rant and a Request

Ok, so I have this term project due that I have left go all semester and now I have until Monday to complete it. I started it on Tuesday. Why did I wait? Well, basically I am a procrastinator at heart. Always have been, probably always will be. Why do I procrastinate? Lots of reasons. In this case, it is partly due to perfectionism and letting all the ideas percolate in my head a very long time before I actually put anything down on paper. Also, the project itself on one hand seems simple, on the other, overwhelming. If it seems simple I think, 'Why bother just yet?' If it seems overwhelming I just avoid it.

Basically, I have to stock a brand new children's library, break down the budget by genre, give full bibliographic info for each book title, provide a mission statement and demographic info for the population served by the library. Did I mention I only get $5000 to work with? I helped inventory a brand new children's library in September. Ten thousand brand new books cost $215,000! Ten thousand books and the library still looked kind of empty. For $5000 I should just wear a blindfold and randomly pick 5-10 books off each shelf because that is about what $5000 will get me.

I have been ordering for the RIF program I run for 6 years. Oddly enough I get a $5000 budget for that. The difference is, I am only allowed to spend $5 per book when I do that. More often than not I can get books for $2. I can get a ton of books and have outstanding variety. For this term project I am required to purchase books with heavy duty library bindings and the books are averaging around $20 apiece. I am still required to have outstanding variety but you can see where this is headed right? This is not a project that is firmly rooted in reality. Reality is that a local K-2 school with 200 students spends $5000 a year just in new acquisitions and that is still a stretch.

Ok, I am finished with the rant portion of this post. Feel free to wag your fingers at me for waiting to do this project and tell me what an irresponsible student I am. When you do I will retort that I have a 99% in the class up to this point. I am just full of excuses and justifications! Now on to the request....

I am shamelessly stealing this idea from Brian. I do love to send and receive Christmas cards. There are several of you I have known for a long time before I ever started blogging and several I have just met since becoming a blogger. Either way, I'd love to send Christmas cards to those of you who would like to receive them. I promise to keep names and addresses to myself but I will also understand if some of you are not comfortable with the idea either. If you'd like an actual hard-copy, hand-signed, tangible Christmas card from me just email me at mountainlime@gmail.com with your address.

Ok, back to the books for me.........

12 comments:

The Zombieslayer said...

Why do I procrastinate? Lots of reasons.

Laziness for me. ;)

Did I mention I only get $5000 to work with? I helped inventory a brand new children's library in September. Ten thousand brand new books cost $215,000!

Yeah, $5k isn't much to work with when ordering tons of books. That's why we buy 'em used. Wife reads a book a day. If those were new, that would be a lot of money. And she's one person. You're ordering for a lot of kids.

lime said...

zombie, sssshhhh....don't use the 'L' word. i am in denial. also, for myself i often get used books or use the library. stocking a library means new books though and books with the heavy duty bindings since theoretically they will be under heavy usage

Bsoholic said...

:wags my finger at you: just kidding - you'll do fine!

CozyMama said...

what a cool idea, i just emailed you.

Logophile said...

You are so going to do a great job, so just do it already!
Your genius can't help but shine through, they will be awed and amazed.
If I give you my address do you promise to come stalk the AF, she hasn't got a stalker YET despite having given out her address a couple times now.

Stephanie said...

I have faith in you and know you'll do a great job!

Now, get off the computer! I wasn't kidding about grounding you!! ;p

lime said...

bs, sticking out my tongue:P

jodes, thanks!

ariella, yer a sick pup

snavy. i'm about half done, mom. get off my back:P hehehe

James Goodman said...

You can do it!!! (said in a cajun accent).

Seriously, I bet you do just fine.

TLP said...

I don't blame you for the rant. That budget is way, way, way too small!

I'm on your side!

Breazy said...

Rant girl rant , you have the right to do so ! I am going to email you because I have already swapped addresses with Brian and I would like to do the same with you !

Robin said...

I really do understand the procrastination thing. I do the very same thing when I have a paper or project due.
If I'd fail one, just once, it might break me of this very bad habit, but like you, I always end up pulling out a zinger in the 11th hour.
Good luck!

lime said...

goody, cute accent ;)

lucy, glad it's not just me

breazy, yay!!

pvpeeved, yeha and then walk on water

robin, you hit the nail on the head. we are cocky aren't we? hehe