After work

I went over to YKWIA's, helped him with some things as he cooked and afterwards, and then came home. I spent a couple of hours looking at the numbers of getting a second job to help pay the bills, catch up on things, and maybe even put an emergency fund and some savings together (I applied for a Kroger position in addition to the library assistant one from last week). I also looked at how the finances would change in terms of when my full-time job ends next April. After that, I called a friend who had texted me earlier and she and I were on the phone for a good hour and a half. I was getting really hungry, so I put a chickpea patty on a heel of bread along with some salad dressing (as in Miracle Whip, not the stuff you put on salad). Now I have to admit I'm sleepy and perhaps it's time to head on to bed, as I have to be over to YKWIA's about 9 am.

So it's been a productive day--I sent in the Kroger application, looked at finances and was really thinking about ways to deal with the impending loss of job, spent time with friends in person and on the phone, and I also called and complained about a gas station where the manager took my loyalty card, signed in as me, and then took the customer survey without letting on that was what he did, all so they could cheat on their bonus. Since I used to work for the same company, and since I caught him at the kiosk right before he gave my keys back and realised what was going on (although really, they were pretty blatant about it), and I know that this is not how things should work, I reported them. Here's an idea, let the customer complete the customer survey, okay? Anyway, I think I've done enough for one day. Good night.

I took a little stroll around the apartment complex

and spoke with a friend by phone while sitting at a picnic table under some pine trees. The smell of the honeysuckle that grows along the creek is quite strong. I used to have an aversion to that scent, having gorged myself on the nectar (along with a friend) as a child only to get a 24-hour stomach bug that night, and for years the smell of honeysuckle made me nauseous, but I've overcome it.

I do have a headache, which I'm hoping some caffeine and ibuprofen will take care of. I'm almost out of the latter. Fortunately I get paid in a couple of days, because things have been pretty tight. I think I'm going to try naproxen (Aleve) so that I don't have to take as much when I have pain.

It's a lovely evening, with all sorts of people out and about. Several ladies from South Asia have been walking around in their colourful saris. I do love that style; I wish I could carry it off. Well, maybe I could, but I'd probably look a little odd.

I got quite a lot done at work today. I was somewhat disheartened by the results of my needs assessment survey. I get great marks for my customer service, and although usage of the library in general is up, most respondents said they didn't use it, or if they did, they used the printers/copiers or read the paper. I got 45 responses out of 200 employees, but had to throw one out because they pretty much treated it like a joke and wrote comments like, 'get a Redbox' when I asked about the video collection, or 'is that like Check into Cash' when I asked about interlibrary loan (even though I explained what that was in the question), etc. on it. But there were some helpful comments on other surveys. Oh, well. Now if I can just schedule a library committee meeting around one of the physicians' schedule, I'll be okay.

I'm not really tired, but I think I will go lie down in my bedroom with the lights off. It's not a migraine (I've had those often, although thankfully they've lessened as I've gotten older). I think it's just a sinus headache. But my eyes hurt, too. I'll try to write a little later. The plan is not to turn in for the night. I'm not going to turn the comforter down, for example. We'll see.

Interesting

Majority of Americans Now Own Smartphones, Survey Says

A study by Nielsen on Monday showed that 50.4 percent of all mobile subscribers owned a smartphone, as of March - the first time that smartphones outsold feature phones since Nielsen began tracking both several years ago. Moreover, the number of users with an Android phone continues to increase, reaching nearly half of all smartphone owners.

Smartphones, almost by definition, include the ability to access the combined knowledge of the Internet, either through a browser or the thousands of apps available via online app stores. Not surprisingly, Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project found that consumers tapped into the mobile computing and sharing power those smartphones offer.

See, libraries aren't dead--they're just evolving to meet needs

Generation Y biggest user of U.S. libraries-survey

Well, that makes sense, since many of them are in college. I noticed they quoted all the figures except the one from Generation X, my generation (ages 31-42). Figures.

Pew: Internet satiates but also creates "information hunger"

Not surprisingly, most people who need information turn to the the Internet before they go to a librarian. On the other hand, people who have the Internet at home--especially broadband--are more likely to use a library to supplement their research than people who have no Internet access.