ALA Annual in cell phone pictures

I attended the American Library Association's Annual Conference this year in Las Vegas. It was such a great experience. I have these pictures in my phone that have been sitting there for months so I thought I'd post them even though this happened ages ago. Procrastination blog '14

This is a list of all the events, panels and speakers I wanted to go to or thought sounded interesting. Let's pause to give a mighty guffaw at my naivete. Oh you sweet summer child.

 

This is the other side of the paper: a list of the exhibits I wanted to visit. I did see most of them.

 

There is so much free stuff at ALA Annual, you guys. I took this aqua backpack that folds up into a little bag "just in case" and I definitely used it. In this pic I'm carrying the backpack (which has rolled-up posters stuck into the mesh water bottle holder pockets), my "trust me, I'm a librarian" tote because duh, and a tote from a vendor. I think I picked up at least one more before ALA Annual ended. I must have been carrying like 30 pounds. This picture is especially blurry because I took it in the mirrored walls of the Bally's hotel elevator and the door opened right as I took this picture and I thought someone was coming in. You can't really tell but I looked super cute that day. Also pictured: the free pins I got on my nametag lanyard.

 

 

I got so many free Advanced Reader's Copy books the strap of my (admittedly cheap) official ALAAC messenger bag I got upon registration ripped right out. I was able to trade it in for a new one, thankfully.

 

 

In the exhibits hall were booths of vendors, some of which had displays and furniture to try to tempt librarians into making purchases. I fell in love with this awesome-looking chair: 

 

Look at it!! It's plush grey and red quilted felt, super comfy to sit in, swiveled, its design made you feel enveloped in your own cozy private little space, and the tube roof allowed natural light in!!! Perfect for reading.

 

I love you, chair. I will never forget you. 

This is one of the many rad temporary tattoos I got from the 2015 Summer Reading Program preview. I love it. It has sadly worn off long ago, although I got another one I can put on at any time.

 

Anyway Las Vegas is beyond, you guys. This Vatican-esque ridiculousness was taken in the lobby of a mall. Really.

 

In fact it was this mall that had an amazing rare books store. I saw first American editions of some of the Chronicles of Narnia books.

My mom took more pictures (including ones of me in the Hershey's and M&M's stores), but that may or may not be a post for another time. 

Michelangelo's paintings on the Sistine Chapel ceiling

On this day, November 1, 1512, Pope Julius II unveiled Michelangelo Buonarroti's frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome for the first time. It took Michelangelo four years to paint them, and he hated it. He wrote this poem about it, which I love because it's one long complaint:

To Giovanni da Pistoia
"When the Author Was Painting the Vault of the Sistine Chapel"

I've already grown a goiter from this torture,
hunched up here like a cat in Lombardy
(or anywhere else where the stagnant water's poison).
My stomach's squashed under my chin, my beard's
pointing at heaven, my brain's crushed in a casket,
my breast twists like a harpy's. My brush,
above me all the time, dribbles paint
so my face makes a fine floor for droppings!
My haunches are grinding into my guts,
my poor ass strains to work as a counterweight,
every gesture I make is blind and aimless.
My skin hangs loose below me, my spine's
all knotted from folding over itself.
I'm bent taut as a Syrian bow.
Because I'm stuck like this, my thoughts
are crazy, perfidious tripe:
anyone shoots badly through a crooked blowpipe.
My painting is dead.
Defend it for me, Giovanni, protect my honor.
I am not in the right place—I am not a painter.

Not a painter! I love him. I went to the Sistine Chapel when I was in Italy, and it was glorious. Absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking. I'm sad he was forced to do it and that he suffered, but I think it was worth it because of the beautiful legacy he left to the world. Think of all the people who have been uplifted by its beauty.

You can read all of Michelangelo's poems here
The text of the poem is from this Slate article, which is excellent and you should totally read it
Image source
History info is from The Writer's Almanac's enewsletter for today