Some of you probably did know that my father, in addition to being an intrepid navigator of the Great Fresh Water Inland Seas ( which could conceivably now be supporting a breeding population of Bull Sharks)...
...and a fearless explorer of the wild, both lands upon the mountains and....
...upon the waters...
....and a former party animal and member of the counter culture movement...
...who is now a loving husband...
...father of 8...
...and grandfather of 6, soon to be 9...
...yes my father, Tom is all these things, but did you know that he is also
AN INTERNATIONAL LIBRARIAN of MYSTERY?
( I snapped this picture of him as he was stealthfully making his get away from the ALA mid-winter meeting through this darkened hallway)
You guys, Libraries are BIG BUSINESS! This mid-winter "meeting" filled the Philadelphia Conference Center:
(which is huge---this is just the ceiling of the atrium)
So Dad's official title is:
Collection Development Coordinator and Materials & Acquisitions Chair
at the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University
(I don't think this is classified information--its written on the card he was slipping all those database and information system pushers who were vying for his attention)
At any rate, before I left for Ohio, I took the train down to Philly for the day to observe a day in the life of this International Librarian of Mystery...
and to see some stuff with Dad...
It was a lot of fun...
I'd never spent anytime in Philadelphia...
This is Benjamin Franklin all made out of keys...
This is a dark Old World-looking alley where some multi-million dollar database deal went down... (I wasn't allowed to film faces...)
...and we got to see the Liberty Bell.
It is always good to spend time with Dad and to learn about what he does down in the basement of the HBLL...
Thanks DAD!
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18 comments:
How fun! Hi Tom!
Ok, so is all you is travel the US and abroad?!! I'm so jealous!! Thanks for your messages on my blog. I was so sad we couldn't come for New Year's. .:( we must come soon. . .maybe spring? Love you!
i have always wanted to go to philadelphia, mostly because i hear they have the best food ever there. did you get to taste any that was noteworthy?
I do so love reading your blogs. I just want to know when one of your many 'trips' is going to land you in Utah for a bit!? :)
It all really is a mystery. I've never REALLY been able to articulate what my father does for a living.
Even the classes Dad took while pursuing his masters of library science were 'mystical'. Like The Philosophy of Librarianship. Remember when I asked him if that meant that if a book fell off the shelf in the library when no one was there to hear it, did it still make a noise? I was so clever.
Your comment on CJanes blog WAS funny! I don't think people really got it. The fact is they don't want to read it. They want to believe what they want to believe, regurgitated rhetoric about what is right and what is wrong without knowing what the facts are.
Dido to Martha. People always ask me what me Dad does and I never really can tell them. Why does he travel so much? What goes on at all these conferences? Bizarre and strange is what I say.. Thanks for your insight into Dad's secretive world Natey.
So, I've spent a little time reading about you and your travels, and enjoying your pics. Now I really do have a crush on you. (Forgive me Travis, but I do.)
Again, I really resonated and appreciated your comments as well as Matthews on CJane's post today. I got it, Martha Corinna.
Good Night!
hey nathan. i panicked a bit b/c i'd linked to your blog through your profile yesterday and when i went to find it again today, I couldn't. email me at eightcowmom@gmail.com. It's been fun and enlightening talking to you over at cjane.
tara
Oh, how fun that you got to spend time with your dad in ol' Philly.
Miss you mucho!
I am deeply in love with your whole family and especially when you blog about them. Every trip is so charming and adventurous and romantic and passionate (as in Da Vinci Code or some artsy Sundance flick, not Danielle Steele). Your dad is such a neat guy. No wonder you kids are all such amazing people. Can't wait to see you!!
Sounds like you are busy as can be. Hope all is well with you, man!
Derek
What a fun job and good times. As for your comment on my blog your artsy lingo would never bother me-I would love every minute! PS I think your profile pic is so handsome. :)
Hi Nate,
I'm glad I found your blog and have been able to see what you are up to. Next time you are in Ohio swing by - we'd love to see you.
Love,
Tonya
Yea! We're friends again! I have to say, I think libraries are one of the best public services in existence! Kudos to your dad!
MFA, huh? My husband is getting the same thing in Tech. Theater right now. That's why we are in Vegas. So maybe someday you can meet and talk MFA-talk. Or something.
wow you have a lot of readers.. well you're clearly amazing so why wouldn't you attract wonderful people into your life?? THANK YOU so much for your amazing response. Thank you for being sensitive and caring in this moment of my life which I guess on some level I knew was always coming.. according to the secret I guess that means I attracted it so I am responsible for it. Oh well. Maybe I needed it so I could solidify who I am. REGARDLESS, the point is-- I would LOVE to hang out with you. Please shoot me an email.. clarkjohnsen77@gmail.com so we can coordinate. I have long wanted to reunite with you, and it appears that the time is HERE. Talk to you soon my friend.
where are you....
are you too good for blogging?
come back.
now.
Nate freakin Wright!!! What's up? I am dying to talk to you. I think about you a lot and hope you're doing well. I saw this from looking at Angie's blog. I set up a blog for myself just so I could leave a comment on her blog. I got a hold of her so I'm gonna delete my blog. Blogging isn't for me. Anyway, email me sometime, please! adalynnalisa@yahoo.com. I hope New York is treating you awesome. Can't wait to hear from you. Your favorite Encore member - Alisa Green
Hello. This post is likeable, and your blog is very interesting, congratulations :-). I will add in my blogroll =). If possible gives a last there on my blog, it is about the Vinho, I hope you enjoy. The address is http://vinho-brasil.blogspot.com. A hug.
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