May 2010
How'd ya get such a snazzy job?
While in grad school, I worked in an art and design library. Two of the librarians there had connections with the The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s main research library, so when a job opened in The Met’s library they passed the information on to me. Three interviews later and I got offered the job (my official title is “library technician”). My two year anniversary is in June, and I can honestly say the job has been a delight thus far and I’ve yet to be disappointed by it!
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“I don’t collaborate. You’re born alone, you die alone, you get on stage alone. I’m better as a loner.”
—Grace Jones
THE TUMMY BEAST by Roald Dahl
One afternoon I said to mummy,
“Who is this person in my tummy?
“He must be small and very thin
“Or how could he have gotten in?”
My mother said from where she sat,
“It isn’t nice to talk like that.”
“It’s true!” I cried. “I swear it, mummy!
“There is a person in my tummy!
“He talks to me at night in bed,
“He’s always asking to be fed,
“Throughout the day, he screams at me,
“Demanding sugar buns for tea.
“He tells me it is not a sin
“To go and raid the biscuit tin.
“I know quite well it’s awfully wrong
“To guzzle food the whole day long,
“But really I can’t help it, mummy,
“Not with this person in my tummy.”
“You horrid child!” my mother cried.
“Admit it right away, you’ve lied!
“You’re simply trying to produce
“A silly asinine excuse!
“You are the greedy guzzling brat!
“And that is why you’re always fat!”
I tried once more, “Believe me, mummy,
“There is a person in my tummy.”
“I’ve had enough!” my mother said,
“You’d better go at once to bed!”
Just then, a nicely timed event
Delivered me from punishment.
Deep in my tummy something stirred,
And then an awful noise was heard,
A snorting grumbling grunting sound
That made my tummy jump around.
My darling mother nearly died,
“My goodness, what was that?” she cried.
At once, the tummy voice came through,
It shouted, “Hey there! Listen you!
“I’m getting hungry! I want eats!
“I want lots of chocs and sweets!
“Get me half a pound of nuts!
“Look snappy or I’ll twist your guts!”
“That’s him!” I cried. “He’s in my tummy!
“So now do you believe me mummy?”
But mummy answered nothing more,
For she had fainted on the floor.
My mother read this to my brother and I when we were young.
It scared the hell out of me.
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