Thanks for everyone's answers about school clubs. I still think I win the prize for nerdiest school club (Library Club), though Paul Bristow does well with his Physics Club. :-)

My high school Library Club's activities mainly consisted of helping the librarians put away books, but also learning more about how libraries worked in general. I did so love being in libraries, and still do. I could easily see myself being a librarian in another life. I love being surrounded by and working with books. Despite the chaos in my office, I'm also fascinated by the whole organizational process.

I don't know if I could have been a very good children's librarian, though. I would likely not be very objective when it came to letting kids pick their own books.

"Oh PLEASE, don't read that one!" I'd cry, ripping a book out of some poor child's hand.

CHILD: "But I want to read that book."

ME: "No no no, it's crap. Here, try this one."

CHILD: "But I don't want that one."

ME: "Take it."

CHILD: "No."

ME: "Take it or else."

etc.

The biggest perk of being in the Library Club was that members got first dibs at taking out new books that looked interesting, and first dibs at any books and records (yes, LPs) that were going into library book sales. That's how I got my Elvis Presley Harum Scarum record! I know you're all jealous.

Okay, so this kind of perk may not excite some of you. I LOVE book sales and used book shops. It's pretty much impossible for me to walk through a shopping mall, see a book sale table, and NOT be drawn inexorably towards it, even if the only titles I can see are out-of-date Sams Net tech titles or cheesy-looking coffee table books with torn covers. There's always the possibility that a gem might be hidden in between the cheese.

I especially love library book sales because of the chance of getting well-loved titles in a good quality hardcover format with library binding, rough cut edges, thick paper, and generous margins at a price I can afford. I'm such a book geek.

Lyanne Quirt says she has a photo like the one I posted yesterday. "Except it's in colour. And I'm the flute player three from the right. And it was 1995 and it was the Stephen Leacock Public School Concert Band playing the national anthem for the Jays' game. I'll try to scan it and send you a copy if I can still find it." Yes please, Lyanne! :-)

I think it's very cool that a couple of my recent Blatherings have inspired other people's new journal entries:

Sherman Dorn on school clubs.

Paul Bristow on school clubs.

Hope you're having a great weekend, everyone. Jeff and I are having lunch with Bryan and Elizabeth in Aurora this afternoon.

Today's Blatherpics:

Rand and Allison at The Keg last night. Fun Randvisit but as usual, not nearly long enough. The three of us lingered at the restaurant for several hours last night until compelled to leave because of increasingly strained smiles from passing staff; there was a huge line of people waiting for tables at the front door. :-) See Allison's Livejournal entry.