The MU Libraries Creative Mag and Virtual Water Cooler

Sure, email subject lines are *supposed* to convey something meaningful and preferably, something pretty specific, about the content of the email.  It helps people decide when to read email (this second or later? Ever?) and helps them find the email if they look for it later.  But why show people this minimal consideration when you can dash off an email to hundreds of your colleagues and just call it “FYI” or better yet, leave the subject line blank?  Faster than Jesse Hall can say “hiring freeze,” you can mark yourself as a self-important twit  who thinks your time and effort is worth more than your readers’ time and effort.  Hooray!

So, what annoyingly vague email subject lines have cluttered YOUR inbox lately?  Post them in the comments.  Don’t give the sender.

Michael Spears (HSL) is a father (again) as of 9:15 am, May 27th.

Maura Grace Spears (pictured with her two siblings) weighed in at 7 lbs. 2 oz. and was 20 inches long.

MauraGraceSpears

Due to complications with the birth, Maura had to be delivered by C-section, but as of thiw writing mother and baby have been home for nearly two weeks and both are doing fine.

Congratulations, Mike!

Born in Hinsdale Illinois, Amy Louise Lana has woked for Mizzoue for 4 1/2 years, and at MU Libraries for 3. Amy works in the Acquisitions Department.

Amy holds a BA in Classical Archaeology from the University of Evanston, an MA in Classical Studies with an emphasis on Greek language and literature from Loyola University-Chicago, and is ABD on a PhD in Greej /archaeology at Mizzou.

Amy’s hobbies include reading, sports and gardening. In her leisure time she enjoys reading and watching NFL football.

Three cats allow themselves to be called Amy’s pets: K’Eleyr (18), Pandora (5), and Robin (2-ish–he was a stray).

Amy thinks the coolest place she has ever been is Greece; she spent a summer there on an archaeological dig site at Stymphalos, and a year on a Flubright scholarship which included digging at the site of Ancient Corinth.

Amy would like to have Audrey Hepburn portray her in a movie of her life.

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Stephen Paul Clayton was born in Kansas City Missouri. Steve works at Journalism in the Newspaper Library, and has worked for MU Libraries for 8 years–this time around. He previously worked for MU Libraries for 10 years, from 1986 to 1996.

Steve graduate from Parkwood Centrial High School in St. Louis in 1972, matriculated from Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, TN in 1976, and finished Graduate School at MU in 1986.

Steve has three cats: Mulder, Curby and Hyacinth.

Steve’s hobbies include stamp collecting, opera nd classical music, architecture and the history of the United States presidents. In his leisure time he enjoys reading, cooking, political activities, music and painting.

The coolest place Steve has ever been is Quebec City, Canada, and he thinks either Bob Newhart or Harvey Korman would best portray him in a movie.

An interview with Jack Batterson will air on KOMU-TV at 5 pm this Monday, May 18th. This is a story about how older users use Facebook.

After the story airs Monday you can find it at the station’s website at KOMU.com.

Gardening seems as close to nature as you can get, except for the 300 million pound of plastic pots and trays used each year in providing you and me with flowers and veggie bedding plants. Then they clutter up our landfills. [Read more →]

Gardeners, I can supply someone with starts for zebra grass and penstemon (beardtounge.) I am looking for Irises, if anyone is dividing theirs. Prefer purples and maroon, but will take any and am interested in other plants you may have to share. BTW, penstemon likes sun, can take a little shade, likes a good watering, but not a marshy spot, has lilac flowers in late summer that attract hummingbirds. Terri, HSL

The Incredible Shrinking Woman, Kathy Peters---June 2007 to Feb. 2009

Congratulations to Kathy Peters (Acquisitions, Ellis Library) for winning one of the Mayor’s Health & Fitness Award for 2009!
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Congratulations to our April Staff Spotlight winners, Kate Anderson & Ryan Bish!
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     As the temperature in Missouri ping pongs back and forth between 30° and 70° it’s hard to know what clothes to put on for the day. Well that’s Spring in Missouri. Meanwhile some of us are thinking about our gardens. Mine is mostly to grow good things to eat but I will plant flowers as well.
     First of all I am a person compelled by forces unknown to garden. I just can’t not garden. My brothers and I were taught how to do this by our Dad. I know that both my parents growing up had big vegetable gardens to feed the big family, and my Mom grew up on a cotton farm. Maybe this is where I got it from, however none of my brothers have vegetable gardens. [Read more →]

Born in St. Louis, MO, Karen Witt began her career with MU Libraries as a student assistant at the State Historical Society
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