Things I've said at work this week:

"I know this must be frustrating, but it's not pleasant for me either." (said to angry intense man)

"Um...my birth order? Well, I'm a first born child." (said to kind woman discussing a book)

"Yes, I guess they are pretty proud of me." (Answer to question from elderly man : Are my parents proud of me?)

"Unfortunately you do have to open your email account to send an email." (baffled man who want to write anonymous letters to the newspaper)

Happenings this Week:

• I was invited to an amateur comedy night for mentally ill people by one of the participants.
• A sixty-year-old man gave me his phone number and email address.
• I heard all about the problems of pregnancy in the first trimester and the need for proper nutrition.
• A homeless woman explained the difficulties of making money as we searched for grant proposal information and business books.
• I was asked how long it takes the average person to walk 1 mile. My results were confounded by the fact that the patron asking used a walker.
• A woman very recently widowed after 66 years of marriage came into the library as per her usual routine to visit and chat with staff who offered condolences.

I'm sure many more weird and wonderful things occurred but after working at 5 libraries in 6 days, the lines of separation are lost.