1. I am a librarian. 2. I have paid for more books than many regular old library users (though not since I actually went back to work at the public library). 3. We once paid for a library book that later turned up on the responsible child's bedroom bookshelf. My vote is look among your own personal books.

@kbutton I, too, hope you can post pics! I'd love to see the cross stitch!

This children's librarian is very impressed. 😍

Oh, me either! I don't like driving, and I don't drive where traffic is fast/bad/hectic.

Thought of another--anything to do with heights Also, a judge (& probably a lawyer). My close relative just retired as a county judge and I saw the toll it took.

((Hugs)) aging parents are hard

We'd make a great team!

I'm very bookish and academically-bent, so it was definitely the practical aspects of it that would be . . .challenging to me. 🤢

I considered becoming a doctor once upon a long ago, and perhaps if I had done it then, I could've. But now I know that certain smells and sights make me sick, so I think I have eliminated medicine as a future career choice. 😅

Speaking as a librarian--there's little time for reading, so yes, they are distracting! 🤣

As far as gifts go, how about just making an Amazon wishlist or some such? I mean, I suppose unless you're a complete minimalist, you probably do occasionally want or need things. I don't know. Just a thought.

I am a very disorganized person with too many passions! We should get together. LOL For real, though--have you any friends or family who might appreciate the help of your orderly mind and ability to bring order to chaos?

Thanks for sharing. I've considered reading these!

Kiddos go back to school this week here (the elementary and middle kids) and college kids in the next two weeks. I've been in a kinda-sorta reading slump. I'm reading, but it's easy for me to choose other things over picking up my book if the mood isn't just right. I am still listening to audiobooks, though. time is flying!

How did I miss this on our last trip? (We went in 2021.)

Thanks for the memory! I had to look up the Large Marge scene--I had forgotten it.

Stipends and longer contracts make some teachers earn more the others in my state. Base pay is based on degree and experience, so based on that, a coach who teaches history wouldn't make more than any other teacher except for the added stipend for the coaching duties. (Presumably these would be after-hours coaching duties, but I'm not sure it actually always works out that way.) Recently secondary math and science teachers in my state were given the option of signing a non-tenure eligible contract giving them fairly significantly higher pay with the understanding they'd get STEM or National Board certified. As a middle School math-certified teacher, I did this for one year. Having taught high school English and history (also as a certified teacher), I cannot say it felt exactly fair to get paid more to teach math than it did to grade ALL of that writing. I, too, have chosen for the time to get out of the classroom. My main reason is because of how many non-contract hours I spent each week working. While those hours are technically not required, I definitely felt it was what I had to do to feel like I was doing an adequate job.

Sounds like the perfect time for a just-for-fun hobby!

I have no words, just heartfelt condolences

Gift cards for places like Starbucks would be my go-to If you want something besides gift cards, I agree with the above poster

The game Word Crush and her daughter's EarPods kept this anxious flyer distracted during a recent flight.

That sounds lovely, @Faith-manor

I got two finishes back from framing. The "All Will Be Well" was an old finish I just got around to taking. The Narnia piece will go over my bedroom chair with my Little Women piece. My goal is a gallery of novel/story finishes.

I finished listening to Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell. Enjoy probably isn't the word for this type of book--I found it very interesting. I was especially interested in the discussion around boutique fitness and multilevel marketing, two things that are rife in my community.

My graduates graduated from private school and thus had a formal sitting with a professional for their school photo (drape for girls, tux for boys). My sister has a semipro business and did all the rest -- "environmental" type shots which we used for the announcements. This is the way most folks do it in our area--the schools, public and private, have a required professional shot for the formal (to ensure uniformity for the yearbook and framed class photos, that sort of thing), and you're on your own for the rest. That can be whatever you choose, but we have MANY local semi pros who are good at outdoor photography.