Is it going to end, or do we just have to accomodate?

Unless someone develops a hydrogen fuel cell plane, I don't see an end in sight.

I'm also irrationally angry at my friends for choosing to have their wedding in SF. Irrational because it's not like they could have known a year ago that fuel prices were going to double, plus, if they'd had it in NYC (where they live), it would have just shifted the burden to their friends and families on the west coast. But still, it's not put me in the mood to buy them a present.

Happy Birthday, Steph!

The children's librarian flagged us as we were leaving on Saturday and got Annabel signed up for the summer reading program. She gets to take her reading log in for stickers each week, and when she gets to ten books, she gets to choose a paperback to keep as a prize. And they're going to draw a winner from each branch for some kind of special dinner.

Seattle also has an adult summer reading program where you can turn in a log after reading three books (and keep turning in new logs as often as you want if you're me and average 3 books/week), and each week they're drawing for a "booklover's bag" at each branch.

I'm beginning to realize that the Seattle library system is pretty good despite its budget woes. Still wish they could keep pace with the county system on collection budget for new releases, though, especially now that city residents can't put books on hold through the county libraries anymore.

I want to join a summer reading club!

I just heard through the grapevine that a board member used the F word in their meeting. Good times.

I don't know if it's a nationwide thing, but the Barnes & Noble I work at has a summer reading program for the kids--if they read any ten books, they can turn in their list and get a free book from a decent selection to choose from.

My parents love taking me out to eat when they visit & I know they won't let me pay, so I don't want to sock it to them.

Sara, holler if you want recs for when you're in DC. If you're museum hopping, the Museum of the American Indian is supposed to have a good cafeteria.

I remember reading prizes when I was a teen in London. Got me into a Dr Who reading by Terrance Dicks, if memory serves. I remember being stunned at how low the bar was set, but really, that was their mistake, not mine.

Man, I loved the London library system. I haven't needed the libraries here like I needed those, so I haven't explored them as deeply, but the US doesn't seem to have matched up yet.

I just doubled checked on the site - I can't find anywhere that there are prizes. A drawing per age group per branch seems doable, right? Kinda makes me want to buy something to donate to my local branch, but really, they have tote bags they could donate. I wonder if it is because people complain about making it a competition.

Anyhoo - I have made my reading bucks and will look into whether the B&N here do anything.

A hilarious post by the Manolo: [link]

As a kid, I only remember te MS Read-a-thon, where the reward for reading was other people's philanthropy! Maybe there was a prize here and there, but I don't remember. I am thinking that books aren't ideal prizes -- any kid who would be motivated by more books probably doesn't need the outside motivation! Although it would save the parents some dough, so that's nice.

OK, the Manolo was tl;dr, but there was an ad on the page that confused me: Cool Whip now in a can? What was it in before? Junk food is complicated.