Things I learned about the government today

1. Back in the day, the library I work at asked for social security numbers in order to issue library cards to people with no affiliation to the school. A few years ago, we stopped asking. Various governmental agencies that ask for cards on behalf of their employees send still us them.

2. The CIA has a library. Like several of the libraries we do business with, they prefer not to receive packages via US Mail. Instead of a simple "Send by UPS" on their request (as most do), they send an explanation of just why they don't want books via USPS, and what the better options are, and I don't even know what else because it got cut off the forms I was working with today.

3. The Library of Congress has suspended our borrowing privileges. My coworkers' response to this makes me think it happens on a semi-regular basis.

warning for navel gazing. not literally, unless i get really bored later.

Okay, so I work in a basement, so I don't see the weather. It occurs to me that this is supposed to be one of the classic complaints of office workers, how they have no windows and never see the sun, but I actually didn't notice until recently. I mean, if you asked me, I would have known that there are in fact no windows down there, but that was just a thing. But then I realized that in the past two weeks, Boston has had three epic thunderstorms, and I have missed two of them. I really like thunderstorms. I have a giant window and I just want to sit in it and watch the rain.

On the other hand, if I can't see the rain, I can't be worrying that I left the window open. (Actually, the window is open, so I'd be worrying that it's raining in. Note to self: move books away from window.)

I was reading up on what happens in Boston to celebrate the Fourth, and apparently people camp out all day to get good spots to see the fireworks. On my run today, I passed generators set up along Mem Drive (and, okay, I don't really know what they're for, but that's my guess) and I could see portapotties lined up by the dozen on the other side of the river. I don't know why I'm surprised to learn that Boston considers this holiday SRS BZNS, but I am.

( So, I've had TBPID in my possession for almost 30 hours now and I still haven't watched it. )