Serendipity

ser·en·dip·i·ty n. pl. ser·en·dip·i·ties

1. The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.
2. The fact or occurrence of such discoveries.
3. An instance of making such a discovery.

Every autumn I volunteer at the Senior Adult Services Bookworm Bash (Used Book Sale). I was looking for some light fiction when one of the ladies pressed Debbie Macomber's THE SHOP ON BLOSSOM STREET into my hand. With her colleagues in full scout mode, I went home with both the Blossom Street and Cedar Cove Series.

The shop on Blossom Street is a yarn shop where a diverse group of ladies learns to knit and make afghans for Project Linus.

The primary mission of Project Linus is "to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers.”"

I can do that! Although the eyes aren't up to detailed sewing and quilting any longer, I can happily crochet or knit while my dear best half and I watch a game or a movie after dinner.

Nationally, and locally, this is a very dedicated group of volunteers. The national web site indicates that as of the end of September 2008 over two million six hundred thousand (2,600,000) blankets had been donated. The Dallas/Collin/Grayson Counties (Texas) chapter website notes over 4,000 blankets donated since its inception in November 2004.

Selfishly, I selected a project worked in crocheted blocks so it would be easy to carry along wherever I was going and in bold colors more suited to a young man at the older end of the spectrum served. I've just finished my first project and am happily already into the next one done in a variegated yarn that resembles military camouflage.

Serendipity . . . a good thing.

What is the Appropriate Punishment

The Associated Press reports:

"The owner of a peanut company urged his workers to ship tainted products after receiving test results identifying salmonella, imploring employees to "turn the raw peanuts on our floor into money," according to internal company e-mails disclosed Wednesday by a House committee. "

JGodsey suggests that confinement at Club Gitmo with an exclusively peanut butter diet might be appropriate. Works for me!

I MISS MY KASHI BARS!

Anonymous on the Net?

Does this headline catch your eye?

Hundreds who posted views on sex assault trial targeted in Tarrant suit

It definitely caught me eye and I wandered over to the Dallas Morning News to read the details.

Topix.com has been orderd to provide identifying information for 178 posters who posted approximately 1,700 graphic comments regarding a sexual assault trial. All three defendants were found not guilty and are now suing those who made the comments.

The suit is in Tarrant County (Fort Worth Texas) because "it appears one anonymous poster lives in Fort Worth."

Topix's reply is carefully crafted.

"We do not just give up people's privacy," said the Web site's CEO Chris Tolles. "We're very, very careful about that."

"But Tolles said the discussions are not necessarily a license to run people through the mud. "If there is a line that's been crossed from a libel standpoint — and it seems reasonable — we do, in fact, cooperate with the courts.""

Should be interesting to watch.

Color Me Surprised

Wednesday afternoon I was surprised to receive an automated phone call from Sam's Club informing me that my favorite breakfast bars have been recalled because of the peanut content.

Please return all packages to your local store for a refund. Further information available from the manufacturer at . . .

I hadn't made the connection with the recalled peanut butter crackers and MY breakfast bars but I'm quite impressed with the service.

US Airways Flight 1549 - A Passenger's Perspective

The Dallas Morning News offered a different account of the emergency landing in the Hudson River of US Airways Flight 1549 by American Airlines First Officer Susan O'Donnell who was one of two jumpseat passengers on the flight.

The whole article is at the link above and as you'd expect Ms. O'Donnell praised the crew and emergency personnel but I was once again impressed by her description of Captain Sullenberger at the ferry terminal.


"Captain Sullenberger continued in a leadership role in the aftermath, talking with the passengers, assembling his crew and including myself and the other jumpseat rider as members of his crew. I was impressed to note that he had the aircraft logbook tucked under his arm. When the Captain asked me if I wanted to join the crew at the hotel, I told him I would really appreciate it as I had lost my wallet. He immediately pulled out his wallet and gave me $20. His concern for me when he had so much else to worry about was amazing."

Captain Sullenberger has become the face of that crew but like FO O'Donnell, I am quite impressed with the professionalism of the whole crew and want to recognize FO Jeffrey Skiles and Flight Attendants Donna Dent, Sheila Dail and Doreen Welsh.

Well Done!

Everything Old is New Again

Many years ago, best sellers were available for low weekly rental fees at neighborhood shops - drug stores, gift shops, department stores and according to Lee Kirk of The Prints and The Paper independent book shops.

Yesterday's Dallas Morning News caught my attention with a photo of bright pink book carts and an article describing a relatively new Dallas Public Library program called Street Smart.

The bright pink carts posted near the circulation desk offer a selection of 28 of the hottest best sellers and 40 popular DVDs. Each item can be checked out for a fee of $5. Books can be checked out for three weeks; DVDs for one week. It is strictly an impulse item. There are no holds on these items and no renewals. Regular late fees apply.

Best Sellers are available on the cart in all branches the day they are available in the store. Copies of each item available on the cart are also available through regular library circulation/hold system.

Once the demand drops for an item it will become part of the regular collection to fill the backlog of holds. For the period October to December 2008, the library reports just under 2,100 Street Smart Express items checked out.

Doing some Google searches, I found several libraries with similar programs. One that caught my eye was a library selling a $50 Friend card that included twelve rentals for the price of ten. In these tight budget times for our libraries, this strikes me as a great way to get seed money to start and maintain the program.

It will be interesting to watch communities develop and modify programs.