goblin cartoons

You all know that I’m colossal geek, right?

Young Frankenstein is one of my all-time favorite movies. On Saturday night, we decided it was time for Morgan to see it. (She’s already seen Blazing Saddles and loved it, even if she didn’t get all of the jokes.) So, we got some tasty burgers from Five Guys and settled in to watch Young Frankenstein.

Morgan liked it, of course. But while we watched the movie, thoughts started drifting through my head…Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, the brilliant, eccentric scientist…Inga, his young, pretty, blonde assistant and lover…Igor, the sarcastic trickster…the Creature, big, strong and impulsive…

And because I’m a colossal geek, I spent about an hour putting this picture together (using Heromachine and The Gimp):

It kind of makes sense, don’t you think? Or is that just geeky ol’ me?

I love new technologies, new tools and toys, new gadgets and widgets. I spend more time at a computer than pretty much anywhere. And yet, what technology do I keep promoting and marvelling over? Books.

Books are amazing tools. You don’t have to worry about incompatible operating systems. I’ve never had a book crash on me while using it. You can drop them in the bath and not worry about electricuting yourself or destroying the book. (Ask my wife. She drops books in the tub regularly. No, not on purpose.)

Which is why I was particularly amused by today’s Penny Arcade.

Time for me to fess up: Meredith Farkas told the truth when she said she isn’t the Annoyed Librarian. She’s not. I am.

I know, I know, everyone assumes the Annoyed Librarian is a woman. What better way to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes than to blog as if I were female? Better than slapping on a pair of glasses and claiming I’m not Superman.

And sure, I’ve slagged off the Annoyed Librarian in public, claiming “she” is nothing more than an attention hound, cultivating a loyal following while also maintaining an identity of “rebel” and “victim of the mainstream biblioblogosphere.” I’ve also said I don’t think “she” is funny. Again, how better to throw everyone off the scent than to disparage my alter ego in public?

People have been claiming lately they know the true identity of the pseudonymous (not anonymous!) blogger called “the Annoyed Librarian,” but they keep naming the wrong people. My misdirection has worked too well. But I refuse to let other people get the credit for my work, and so I’m outing myself.

I am the Annoyed Librarian!

I heart Shelf Check!

Jennifer Graham and I were talking about Web 2.0 and how neither of us really understands what the “Semantic Web” that is supposedly Web 3.0 could be. I mean, I went to college, I was an English major, I’m not a complete idiot…but no explanation of the “Semantic Web” has given me much of an idea of how it would work and what “Semantic Web” means. (Anyone who can explain the concept to me in a way that leads me to understanding gets a prize.)

At any rate, here’s my idea for further Web “upgrades”:

Web 4.0: the Holographic Web. The Web will be all around us, in 3 glorious dimensions and full color.

Web 5.0: the Ecological Web. The fully immersive Holographic Web leads to 3-dimensional ecosystems of information, growing and interacting all around us.

Web 6.0: the Cyberweb. Artificial intelligence, or the closest thing to it, spreads throughout the Web. All Web-connected machines (computers, media devices, toasters, refrigerators, etc) become independently-thinking machines, existing equally with flesh-based life.

Web 7.0: the Broken Web. A plague of solar flares disrupts all electronic information-communication systems on the planet, leading to huge crashes in the strands of the World Wide Web. Informational ecosystems become isolated and inbred. Meanwhile, solar flares and massive climate change lead to startling mutations in flesh-based life.

Web 8.0: the Changing Web. Mutant humans, animals, and cybernetic lifeforms rise up and seize control of the planet from non-mutated lifeforms. The World Wide Web becomes a system of ever-mutating language and information, like Second Life on ’shrooms.

Web 9.0: the Cosmic Web. Radio waves and mutant psychic forces beam the Web out into space, across the galaxies. Files are stored in the hearts of stars. Social networking is routed through wormholes. Everything in the cosmos is miscellaneous.

After that…well, I leave that to you to imagine.

EDIT: My wife noticed that I had “Web 7.0″ twice. I’ve fixed it, so now the Cosmic Web is Web 9.0.

I think this is my very favorite Unshelved of all time. It is so very full of win.

It is a terrific bit of synchronicity that the same week MPOW has it’s big web launch, Unshelved features an hilarious storyline about redesigning the library website. I loved the entire week’s worth of strips.

Someone please, please make this shirt:

A blast from the past, pulled from the vaults and brought to you courtesy of Goblin Cartoons Productions and the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library PaperCuts blog:

My favorite bit is the young man who is looking for a book, but can’t remember the author or title. “But the cover is blue!” Boy, the more things change…

I generally save internet quizzes for my Livejournal, but I find these two together to be both amusing and insightful regarding my role in the library:

Your results:
You are Spider-Man

Spider-Man 80% Robin 70% Superman 70% Iron Man 65% The Flash 65% Hulk 65% Green Lantern 50% Supergirl 45% Catwoman 45% Batman 45% Wonder Woman 35%

You are intelligent, witty, a bit geeky and have great power and responsibility.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz