how hard is it to TAKE THE BOOK BACK?

I've had badly needed work clothes lingering at the dry cleaner's four blocks from my house for more than two weeks now. Also extra cable boxes that I canceled nearly a year ago.

a fine is 10 goddamn cents a day

Ours is 25 cents a day, fines add up very quickly in these parts.

Actually, we might have jumped to 20 cents a day. But we can still check out books with a fine on our account as long as its under $10 (and we've returned overdue items).

Fines on DVDs, however, are $1 a day per movie (or maybe even $2). It's cool -- you can check them out free, and get them for 7 whole days. But if you're late, you're fucked. Especially if you're a greedy-gut like me who checks out 5 DVDs at a time. (D'oh.)

how hard is it to TAKE THE BOOK BACK?

Some days, very

(Er -- I meant how hard is it to take it back EVER; but saying so would have ruined the flow of my rant. I even deliberately took a library book on vacation that I knew would go overdue book while I was there, because I wanted to finish it and I couldn't renew it because it had a wait list on it. But I returned it the day after we got home and paid my $2.40.

I'm no library saint; I just don't get the people who don't EVER return books. Banninate! Banninate!)

after a long absence I went to check out a book and they told me I had overdue fees. I was horrified.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry! How much?!" I asked.

"Fifteen cents."

I'm glad they didn't send me a notice- they would have lost money on the postage.

Power is back! ::whispered, just in case the power gremlins want to tease me::

Am very, very gronkly because once the power went out last night, the frog concerto was turned up to eleven. And Mooshu was having a bit of a panic attack, the poor baby, so I had to soothe him. (Hundred pound dog + panic = pitiful in the extreme)

My library has gone to a self-checkout system, which is glorious. I can zip in and out and don't get stuck behind someone who is endlessly grilling the librarian about what versions of the Bible the library has -- as a book on tape. (True story.)

So when your fine reminder pops up, you can opt to pay it (but only with a debit or credit card, through the swipe-y thing on the side that you swipe your library card through), or just select "Pay later." It's fucking awesome.

t /library nerd

I just don't get the people who don't EVER return books. Banninate! Banninate!

TOTAL BANNINATION!!!

Barb, we just had a short power outtage, too. Although we're not facing a tropical storm. Yesterday, it went out for about three hours so I took the kids to the gym. Today it was an apparent planned outtage to figure out what caused yesterday's. *sigh*

At least my modem didn't go out for an additional two hours on top of the electrical outtage.

I love how libraries have gone all high-tech on us. My favorite is being able to reserve a book on line and then get an e-mail saying it's ready for pick up.

A planned power outage? ::blinks::

That seems so... bizarre. I mean, we have enough of them in Florida that I think if any of the power companies did planned outages, they might face mobs of angry rioters.

Hopefully, the weather wasn't too dreadful, Cash. It's one thing I can say about this house vs. the old one-- with the much higher ceilings and the abundance of tile floors, the house as a whole stayed much cooler than our old house did during Frances in '04.

Oh, look! I was going to offer Barb power~ma, and she's already back! Welcome back! Hope it sticks. Stay dry and safe, guys.

I return stuff late about half the time. My late fees paid for the new library. They still love me and wouldn't arrest me.

Yeah, they know me at my library. Also, both the public library and the school library send e-mails about overdue books. That's usually just the little punch I need to get them back.

My favorite is being able to reserve a book on line and then get an e-mail saying it's ready for pick up.

YES! Totally! I can get a book from any of the libraries in Boston without having to actually travel to the library of origin. It just magically appears here in Roslindale. It's fabulous! Oh! and I've taken to checking out crafty books before I buy them to see if they're worth it. It's saved me probably a lot of money!

Oh. And I almost forgot to post what I actually came in about. I did squeak out an 80 in my Spanish class! Actually, it's an 80.13. I GOT A "B"!!!!! I cannot believe I pulled that shit off. Though, it totally explains today's migraine. The brain did finally explode!