Encinitas Library

I know how to work the system.  Want music or movies for free?  Well, have I got a deal for you.  It’s rather old fashioned, actually.  It’s called a library.  Remember those?  Outside of reading circle for babies and toddlers, there’s so much more to get than just books.

I love music.  Back when we lived in San Francisco, my favorite Sundays were when I could take off for a few hours and hunt for cds in Rasputin’s or Amoeba Records.  These are HUGEMONGUS music stores, with multiple floors of new and used music and video.  The best part is that you could return the used music you’d bought for 75 on the dollar.  That was awesome for me because $100 at that rate could last a good number of buy, burn and return visits.  I was disappointed when I moved to SoCal and there wasn’t a nearby equivalent.  Not even close.  Locally, Lou’s Records is a ghastly-paled comparison.

When Husband and I were on major cutback mode (still are), MIL suggested that I try the library for movies (instead of Netflix), music (instead of lame-o Lou’s), and books (well, I had found a good used book store here, but the library is free).  Have you looked lately on how much you spend on movie rentals, books and music?  You may be surprised.  I know I was. Now I have a SUPER SYSTEM that keeps our costs way down, videos stacked up, tons of books read (mostly for the kids) and plenty of fresh music in my ipod.  All it takes is my computer (which I’m on all the time anyway) and some planning.

Remember last month when I had a mini mommy-freak-out about the boys learning how to swim?  Swim lessons have been a lot better and no more tears.  Go figure, they even think it’s kinda fun.  Well, I made my own “Swimming Is Fun” campaign and I used the library to help.  I did a search online on my county library’s website.  I found 10 kids books about swimming and fun in the water for positive reinforcement.  I read them a few each night along with showing them pictures of kids their age swimming in pools and at the beach.  I think it really helped.

Here’s the super system: Use the online library to reserve/request the books, music and all movies that you want.  Then when you run your errands (Fridays for me when the kids are in day care, so I don’t have to deal with books being knocked off the shelf or temper tantrums), I just go to the hold stacks, pick up my requests and check it all out.  It’s kinda fun going to the stacks and seeing lots of stuff with your name on it!  Now this is a part of my regular Friday routine. Through the library’s online system, I can see what is due and what’s available to pick up to keep track of everything.  I know that every Friday I drop off due music, movies and books in the return box and pick up at the reserve stacks. When I request/reserve from the online system, they pull from over 30 libraries around the county (because it’s not all available at our little library) and while I may not be able to get everything immediately, I know my Friday is full of good surprises.

Every time I listen to Pandora or the radio, there are always new songs I love and bands I’d like to know better.  Our library has everything from Vampire Weekend to Elvis Presley.  Want to strengthen your Blues knowledge? Do a search and reserve through the library.  Check them out and burn to your heart’s content.  IT’S FREE MUSIC!  No more $.99 with iTunes.  Get your cds from the library.  They haven’t had everything I’ve requested, but I’ve been very impressed.  The library even takes requests.

(c) FoxSearchlight Pictures 2009

Our county library even has latest releases on movies!  I just saw Crazy Heart and An Education.  I had to wait 2-3 weeks from the time that I requested, but there are always lots of other movies to see.  Before I cancelled my Netflix account I printed out my queue and entered the selected movies in to the library request system 10 at a time.  Any kids’ movies you want to see that you haven’t in a long time?  Tired of your regular rotation?  Use the library to freshen it up.  There are great programs on DVDs from Discovery Kids and Popular Mechanics for Kids (they have a series about how things work, which was really interesting).  Oh have I mentioned?  Renting movies from the library is free!  Even better, I have week to watch.

Here’s the catch: knowledge is power and will save you in fees.  Know how many days you can check out books, movies and music.  For our library, we have 7 days for music and videos; books are 21 days.  Late fees can catch you by surprise unless you stay organized and well informed.  Movies are $1.00 per day when they are late.  Books are only a quarter, so I don’t freak out over that, but when you have 3 movies late for 3 days, yep, you can do the math.  Doing that every week becomes costly.  So don’t do it.  Find a way to make the weekly library visit a part of your routine.  If you haven’t watched the movies you rented then see if you can re-check them out online or return it.  You can always get it again later. (I’m saying this to you and to me again for the 100^th time.)

Working my library super system has been great for saving money and keeping the kids well stocked with new books.  I also have continued my music addiction and I’m up to date on the new movie rental releases, because you know Husband & I don’t go out on dates often enough.

I’d love to hear how you use your library outside of reading time with the kiddos.  And be sure to check out the summer reading programs.  There are lots of kiddy swag and fun family programs to be had.  Go old school, check out your local library.  Cheers friends!

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Bootyliciousness is my biological destiny.  If you’ve ever met my Mom, you could see.  She’s got a big butt and that’s where she gains her weight (she’d also say her arms, but those stay hidden most of the time).  She can’t hide her behind.  It’s not as bad as Jennifer Coolidge’s character in Robots, Aunt Fanny, but (pun intended) you get the picture. (btw, Robots is one of my favorite kid animated movies, a must see if you’re a parent!)

I’ve been up (size 12) and I’ve been down (size 6) through the years and certainly child bearing has contributed to the coming and goings of my fat.  But this time around, I have a new flab.  It’s my squishy center.  Not unlike that box of See’s Candies that I shared over the holidays.  Yes, my stomach area was permanently disfigured when Baby was born. (Oh SOAM, I love you so).  However I believe that after you reach a particular age you shouldn’t wear a two piece bathing suit anyways, so I’m okay with it.  SoCal Moms will loudly disagree, but I wasn’t raised here.  Can I blame this new blob on Baby?  Maybe a little bit.  Is this a part of aging?  Ugh.  I’m not ready to accept that quite yet.

Living in SoCal is a double edged sword.  It’s extremely beautiful here.  While many of you are dealing with freeze and snow days, I’ve got my back patio door open as I write this.  However, people think too much about what they look like here.  Simple fact is that we wear less clothes year around.  I never get to wear my turtlenecks here and I never put away my sandals or tank tops.  Our bodies simply show more.  Our summer starts sometime in April before the May Gray or June Gloom sets in and then it lasts well into September (no, I’m not kidding).  Frankly, this was one of the reasons I was scared to move down here.  You have to think about your body more than where you can hide it under heavy sweaters six months out of the year.  And vanity screws with my sanity.

Well the good news is that I know what to do.  It’s simple, but not always easy.  Get rid of the sweets in the house (working on it, ahem), drink more water (check), walk more (check – Sanity Friday 3 mile beach side walks with Lola), and eat less (shake weekday mornings, chews for snacks, more salads for lunch and sensible dinners).  I know I can’t fight the battle of the bulge by only walking one day a week.  But where to fit in exercise when I’m a SAHM?  How do you Moms do it?

I’ve got to find a low cost, (or preferably no cost) way to exercise.  Yeah, I’ve got DVDs that collect dust and no, I’m not pushing BigBoy and Baby in a stroller.  Maybe I’ll have to reconsider that; the beachside walk is extremely nice.  I want to add dance back into my life.  That’s been a BIG missing since marrying Husband.  It’s not his fault, I know that dog don’t hunt.  So here’s my next mystery, Scooby Doo.  Find joy in exercise.  I’ll find it if dance is involved because to shake my bootie puts a smile on my face.  And I’ll keep coming back for more.  I know myself.  Dance brings me great joy.  So I must find a way to do this.  I’m open to suggestions.  Let’s hear it, friends.  I’m going to do some research with my glass of Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc tonight.  Because that’s one piece of sweetness, I’m not giving up.  Cheers!

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So, I promise to write more about what movies and books are note worthy and what are not.  There’s a lot of both.  For movies lately, Husband and I both fell asleep to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.  I’m happy to report that he thinks Megan Fox is gross too.  And really, they needed to put her in a better bra in the end running scenes.  You’re teenage boy may like it (or any man, really); I just thought she was going to hurt herself.  The movie is an action-packed, graphic circus that really didn’t hold our interest.  But total boy-dom; which is good in that arena.  BigBoy can see it when he’s 10.

In chick flicks, I’ve recently seen New in Town and The Ugly Truth.  (Gerard Butler is HOTT.  Can I get an Amen?!?! That dance scene had me captivated and breathing heavy.)  The movies are the same:  sweet, charming and total girl-dom.  They are good for the heart and best to watch without your guymate, but they too would get a few laughs in both movies.  They’re not girl-gross (ok, maybe a little), but not that bad.

Avatar 2009 20th Century Fox

Not at the library yet, but at your local theaters is Avatar (yes, OMG, we went to the movies!  Thanks Mom & Dad!).  People, it is a MUST SEE. In 3-D.  Even if you don’t like science fiction or have no real interest in it, just please go anyway.  If you have any interest in movies at all, this movie is a game-changer and other movies will only aspire to come close to what’s created here.  What you will see is stunning!  It’s like when I first saw Star Wars or first heard (or felt) the sound in The Fugitive.  It’s memorable and unlike anything you’ve experienced.

James Cameron is simply a genius.  And to think he was a kid when this story first came into his mind.  What an AWESOME and grand imagination he has!  This work is visionary, created with new technology and methodology.  He has set a very high bar.  There’s a point in the movie where I leaned over to Husband and said, “This is why I read scifi. Because what can be created is so very outside our realm of what’s possible or what’s familiar.”  (not that I really said that in the theater, but I did say something close to it…it sounds better here.  I probably just yelled “This is rad!”).  I love when people’s minds stretch so very far from what we know (referring to Mr. Cameron, not me).  It’s extraordinary to me and awfully good entertainment.

Outside of all that is flashy and visually stunning is the story, which is also compelling.  You can read more about the plot here, but basically it’s a story of corporate greed, science and indigenous people.  It’s about the love of the earth, respecting other consciousness, and believing that there is some kind of tie to another spiritual realm.  You’ll take from it what you will.  Maybe you like the military conundrum when working with corporations.  Or maybe you’ll like the ethical dilemmas.  Anyway, the story holds up with or without the 3-D, but the 3-D makes it much more fun.

This is a movie to see again and again.  I mean how many times did we see Titanic?  God knows, I saw it 4 times in the theater.  It’s a classic and perfectly told tale with all the drama, action, and visual effects that anyone could enjoy.  So I think that if it takes Mr. Cameron 10+ years and that much money to make either movie, you’re gonna like it.  So see it now while it’s on the big screen.  Hell, go see it in IMAX if you can.

Aliens © 1986 Twentieth Century Fox

My final hurrah about Avatar – Sigourney Weaver is a badass.  She was back in the day and she still is.  If I ever had a girl, the name Sigourney would be on the list.  (I’m not having anymore children, I’m just saying)  I cracked up in the movie when I saw the Marines “driving” those robotic exoskeleton thingys and wondered if Sigourney said to anyone, “I was driving these things when you boys were in diapers!”  I’ve always loved her because the characters she plays are always close to who I think she is: smart, strong, sexy and beautiful in her own way…and can get herself (and others) out of trouble.  Yeah Sigourney!  I toast to you!  Cheers!  Now go see the movie.

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