Not so fast... what's your hurry?

We live in a world of hurry up and wait. No time to stop and enjoy the garden. No time to just sit and read a book. Texting, talking on the phone while dining with friends, while in a movie theater, or while standing at the desk ordering a book at the library, has become the norm rather than the exception. (Last week a teen went through her entire summer reading list with me, looking for a fast read to finish in time for the start of school. Unfortunately she was also talking to a friend on her cell phone at the same time, asking for titles in between sentences.) Too busy?
Slow down!

I don't have the cell phone habit but I often find myself in a hurry, even when there's no reason not to stop and enjoy what's going on around me. For example, I used to complain about the slow elevators in the library (okay, I still complain, sort of, now and then) but I've found a way to enjoy the downtime. I've discovered a treasure trove of materials on the carts waiting to be shelved near the 1st floor freight elevator. Now instead of standing there willing the elevator to hurry up, I browse the carts destined for the Youth Services floor. Good books and DVDs just jump out at me! Here's a few examples:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney is an account of the life of, well, a wimpy middle-school-aged boy. Cartoons and humor abound and if you like it, there's more books in the series.

Dead is So Last Year by Marlene Perez proves that it's tough being a teen in Nightshade, California; a town of some pretty strange characters. Coping with a boy friend who's a werewolf can be a trial. Wouldn't you agree? This book is also part of a series along with Dead is a State of Mind and Dead is the New Black.

Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe (I'm a sucker for anything with cat or kitty in the title) is about awkward 17-year-old Jasmine's troubles on a family vacation to Las Vegas. A bad kitty by the pool is the least of her problems.

Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck has a tombstone on the cover, which along with the title, is enough to make any library fan want to read it.

And my latest find... a DVD called The Original Nancy Drew Movie Mystery Collection with movies originally released in 1938. Hypers!

So stop on the 2nd floor and check out a few leisurely reads that will take you back to when things moved a little more slowly. Don't let the kids have all the fun!

Posted by Linda - The photo is a picture of my favorite spot in my garden, with a bench under a white pine tree and cat mint, lamium, lady's mantle, some containers and a few garden cat ornaments. Stop and smell the mints?