Super Bowl Madonna

image popcrush.com

So, everyone around here is totally excited about the big event this weekend.  Apparently some of the heroes are called BIG blue but are actually wearing road whites, while the others will actually be wearing blue.  It's a huge day for sports fans in New York and New England - and it's going to be fun.  Although, it could be even more fun if they would ditch this Superbowl Sunday nonsense and play on Saturday instead. Trust me, I think folks would indulge and spend even more if they didn't actually have to take a recovery sick day on Monday.  But, I digress, what I really want to talk about is Madonna.

Last night, while I was watching American Idol (I've lost your respect, haven't I?)  there was a preview of Madonna's new video  and suddenly I remembered why I've always loved her...

She created herself - she is fabulously self-made.  Madonna wasn't packaged or produced by a record label in the same way many of today's female artists are manufactured.  And she most certainly isn't one of these Disney princesses.  Every song she sings does not sound like the last song she sang and her style has changed a million times.  She writes some of her own stuff and truly has a catalog of material.  I'm not saying it compares to what great bands produced but, damn, Madonna's been doing her thing for a long time and I admire her hard work.  She doesn't seem afraid to try anything and I respect her for living the life she wanted. I'm kind of excited for the half-time show for the first time in a long time. 

Well, what part of the game are you most looking forward to?

On Being the Madonna of Librarians

Last week I went to a Librarians' Conference at Union College. As you're picturing this event in your mind's eye, please don't make the same mistake I did - it wasn't actually on the beautiful Union campus, but was instead in a former Sheraton Hotel beyond Union's ivy walls. Ok, I'm not really certain that the walls are ivy-covered but, who's story is this? Needless to say, I was borderline late as I drove around the perimeter of Union, with its ivy- covered walls, looking for the College Hall Building.

The conference was cool. No, really. I learned some new tricks and I always enjoy seeing librarians from other districts and talking about the challenges we all face in a profession that always seems to be marginalized by administrators, fellow faculty members and parents. As always, Polly Farrington's class provided me with the most applicable lessons - she is a rockstar. As am I, apparently. You see, a number of years ago at this same event, a colleague told me that she never knew what to expect when she saw me because my appearance changes constantly. I do like to play around with "my "look," I guess. Just trying to stay relevant. Anyway, she continued by saying "Silvia, you're the Madonna of librarians." Seriously - this is in my top 5 of best compliments ever received! Right up there with "you don't look like a librarian" and the time when I was 8 1/2 months pregnant and crossing Lark Street, and received a wolf-whistle from a passing car of college boys.

This is the Madonna she was talking about, right? If she really meant the Virgin Mother, please ignore everything I said. Other than the fact that Polly Farrington is a rock star and Union College may be surrounded by ivy-covered walls.