When Life Gives Your Lemons ... If Only I Could Have Lemonade

Read Alli Palmgren's column in the November 24, 2016 edition of the Norwood Transcript and Bulletin. Alli is the Technology Librarian at the Morrill Memorial Library.

I love food so much. I love the social aspect of gathering around a meal or heading out to try new restaurants. Preparing meals for others is one way that I express affection. Food is fuel, but it is so much more to me. As such, I was pretty glum when I learned that I would need to restrict my diet for health reasons. All my favorites are quite literally off the table- no tomatoes, no chocolate, no caffeine, no tea, no coffee, no alcohol, nothing spicy, and nothing acidic. Upon hearing this, I briefly, but seriously, considered dealing with supremely unpleasant symptoms just to continue eating tomatoes and all those acidic fruits I love so much.

Silicon Gunslingers and Clay Philosophers

Jeff Hartman is the Senior Circulation Assistant, Paging Supervisor, and Graphics Designer at the Morrill Memorial Library. Read Jeff's column in the November 17, 2016 edition of the Norwood Transcript and Bulletin.

Before Jurassic Park released velociraptors on an unexpecting public in Michael Crichton’s 1990 novel and the subsequent films, the author had conceived another story about amusement park mayhem. 1973’s Westworld featured visitors who dressed up as cowboys and interacted with lifelike robot gunslingers. When the androids start to run amok and disobey human commands, the park’s creators and its guests struggle to recognize the extent of the disaster and escape alive.

Build Your Own Book Group

Librarian April Cushing is head of Adult and Information Services at the Morrill Memorial Library. Read her column published in the November 10, 2016 issue of the Norwood Transcript Bulletin.

I should have seen it coming. Interest in my book club of over a quarter century had been steadily declining. The former minister’s wife moved to Rhode Island, the writer was taking a Tuesday night class, the frequent flyer could no longer commit, and the endodontic office manager just stopped coming. Finishing the selection each month, while encouraged, was not required, although requests to refrain from giving away the ending were generally ignored.

The Ethel to My Lucy, The Thelma to My Louise

Charlotte Canelli is the library director of the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood, Massachusetts. Read Charlotte's column in the November 3, 2016 edition of the Norwood Transcript and Bulletin.

In the first semester of seventh grade, my parents ripped me from what was a comfortable Berkeley, California childhood.  I had already left New England when I was six years old to begin a new life in Northern California. In this next move, however, I was in junior high where it was supposed to be a new, cool adventure. Yet, in mid-October, our family moved twenty miles away to the boring suburbs. Worse yet, I was plunked back in elementary school where, in 1964, the neighborhood school included kindergarten through the 8^th grade.