"The Raven is Hard to Handle"

On October 7, 1849, Edgar Allan Poe passed away at age 40 for reasons that to this day are still a mystery.  It almost seems a fitting end for the man who is often called the ‘Father of the Detective Story’ and while we may never know the true ending to his life, what we do know is that he had incredible talent for composing words in short stories, essays, book reviews, and poems like The Raven, published in 1845.

I would love to brag about all of the Poe works I have read but the truth is, classics like Poe’s aren’t always so easy for me to understand.  Sometimes I feel like Judy Holliday in “Born Yesterday” with a Poe book in one hand and a dictionary in the other looking up all of the words I can’t comprehend.  “I looked up every word!” OK, I just did a scene from that play in my acting class so I have the script “laying here…lying here.”

And I know I am not the only one who has this trouble of grasping language from another time.  At least I hope I am not alone.  Perhaps there are some kids out there that have my back on this?  I also have a hard time memorizing words.  It has always been a challenge for me as an actor and comedian to remember my lines – even the words I write myself!  So sometimes I need music to help me grasp the material.  I need rhythm.  Something to sway my hips to is also helpful.

It is with these admissions and to honor the great Edgar Allan Poe that I have created a literary parody song that was not only so fun to do but truly helped me learn these three verses of The Raven poem!  You are on your own for the rest of it.  Thanks to one of my favorite 90’s songs “Hard to Handle” by The Black Crowes, I am proud to share my brand new literary parody song “The Raven is Hard to Handle” where I actually sing!  Not necessarily well, but certainly with lots of passion and heart.  Oh, don’t you just love Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart? "Villains!" I shrieked. "Dissemble no more! I admit the deed!  Tear up the planks!  Here, here!  It is the beating of his hideous heart!"  No, I didn’t memorize that.  I have like 20 Poe books here on my desk leftover from the video shoot.

As is my mission as the Stand-Up Librarian, I want to promote libraries and show my love to my fellow librarians, so this video is no different.  There are several “shout outs” in my costumes and especially on my purse guitar!  I love literature as much as rock n’ roll, so grab a set of Raven wings and get ready to rock...at the library!

RIP Edgar Allan Poe!

The Raven parody idea came to me after making this hat!

Sitting in my "library" wearing my literary creations
that I made or re-styled from other pieces I had.

With my friend and acting teacher Corinne.
I asked her to shush me only 1 minute before we filmed it!

Wearing my silver & black Raven wings.
I originally had READ on the back in red but
it looked like dripping blood. Too dark even for Poe!

***Please visit: www.StandUpLibrarianDesigns.com if you want me to make you a Raven hat or headband!  Or if you are looking for some fashions that are literary fabulous!

Meredith Hosts the Gulf Beaches Public Library Fundraiser

On Saturday, March 3^rd, I had the opportunity to host the Gulf Beaches Public Library’s 5^th Annual Food for Thought fundraiser in Maderia Beach, FL.  What a thrill it was to give back to the place where my dream of becoming a librarian began in 2005 when I met a librarian named Maggie Cinnella.  In 2010, I was volunteering at the library while finishing my last semester of graduate school, so my help with the fundraiser that year consisted of running around and doing whatever they needed me to do whether it was carrying plates of food and trying to convince people to spend more money on raffle items.  It is incredible that in just two years, I was now hosting the event!  Which once again consisted of carrying plates of food and trying to convince people to spend more money on raffle items.  But I also got a chance to tell jokes and play my purple ukelele that had been collecting dust for six years! 

 

More importantly, as a librarian, it gave me a chance to show gratitude to the people that made me want to work in the library field in the first place.  As a comedian, it gave me an open opportunity to heckle audience members into donating money to the library.  How cool is that?  A win-win for everybody!

Anyway, I know many of you out there couldn’t make it to the event, but you can still donate money!  Just go to http://gulfbeacheslib.org/ to learn how.  To see all the fun you missed, just watch the video above.  Enjoy!

Entertaining the crowd.

 

With Circulation Manager Stan Silverstein.

 

Library staff & volunteers come together
...over vino.

With Library Director Maggie Cinnella.

Playing my ukelele with Les Morrell.

The Stand-Up Librarian is Born

In Part 4 of "Meredith Hires Herself," Meredith and Meredith discuss their partnership and the mission of StandUpLibrarian.com. Meredith performs her library comedy material for the first time.

***Although inspired in part by true incidents, the following video is fictional and does not depict any actual person or event, even though the actresses look a lot like Meredith Myers and say they are numerous times. The Meredith Myers on stage, however, is the real Meredith Myers. In reality, Meredith Myers is the ultimate professional and takes her job as a librarian very seriously, so any future employers should not let this video effect their decision to hire her. The only thing she is guilty of is having a sense of humor during tough economic times. And yes, parts of this disclaimer was pulled from the "Law & Order" TV show.

For the entire month of June, in celebration of StandUpLibrarian.com being one year old, I have been posting fictional videos of me “hiring myself,” which feature two different Merediths (the librarian and the comedian), being interviewed about their positions with StandUpLibrarian.com.  The video series was always intended to be a spoof of reality TV shows that have over-the-top personalities talking straight to the camera about the people they either work for or are friends with, for the sole purpose of sharing “private” information.  Everyone should know by now that this information is then edited to be even more controversial by the producers of the show, in the hopes of creating some kind of storyline so the viewers continue to tune in. 

It was an idea I had a while ago to incorporate my love of acting and my need to find humor in an economic situation that has prevented me from finding work in a field I have absolute passion for, in a position where I have the necessary qualifications.  Of course, the videos were always going to be risky, since comedy is often subjective, and me playing myself could become confusing to people, especially to those who don’t really know me or perhaps want to hire me.  Is she bipolar?  A drunk?  Or worse. Not funny?  As an artist, I can’t always explain everything all the time, nor do I want to.  For example, in this fourth episode, I purposely edit the comedian character to seem cynical about the library field because most comedians do mock things.  How do you think jokes are born?  However, towards the end of the video, I replay that same clip in its entirety to show that not everything or everyone is what they seem.  After all, editors are the true talent of reality shows.

It has always been my mission with StandUpLibrarian.com to entertain, while educating people about libraries and their importance.  At the same time, I’ve also been trying to show the diversity of the librarians themselves.  Not all librarians wear glasses, nor are they conservative, or look like your grandmother.  Some of us curse, make bad jokes, and even enjoy a glass of wine once in awhile.  So what.  At the end of the day, we are all distinct individuals bringing varied and unique experiences and skills to the reference desk, with the commitment to share information and our love for libraries. 

Unfortunately for me, (and many others), I have been having a heck of a time getting to that paid reference desk due to our poor economy.  So do you think I am going to just sit around, twiddling my thumbs, waiting for it to turn around?  Hell no!  All of us have a responsibility to do what we can RIGHT NOW, or else there won’t be a job, or a library, tomorrow.  So, this blog is MY reference desk.  As is the comedy stage, my You Tube channel, or anywhere I else I choose to go and share information.  Just because I am not speaking to you from behind a reference desk in a library, does not make me any less qualified than those that are.  I say this because I feel like I had to.  Many times I wonder if those looking to hire me come on here and misunderstand my intentions, so let me make it perfectly clear…I may tell jokes but I do not view my six years studying to be a librarian in order to work with other librarians I absolutely admire, the punch line of my jokes.  Enough said.

Meredith Visits a Railroad Library at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum

According to the San Diego Model Railroad Museum website, “The Erwin Welsch Memorial Research Library is a non-circulating research library which focuses on all aspects of railroading with a particular emphasis on railroading in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The library is dedicated to the advancement and dissemination of historical, social, economic and technical knowledge of railroading and railroad modeling. The Library collection includes material on model railroading in all scales. In addition, the collection also covers railroads throughout Central and South America, Europe, and Asia. Reference materials include books, periodicals, professional journals, government publications, manuscript materials, maps, engineering drawings, DVDs, videotapes, slides, photographs, and other ephemera. The online catalog contains 831 railroad and model railroad magazine titles, and over 4000 books, 1400 videos and DVDs.”

For more information on the library and museum, please visit:
http://www.sdmrm.org/#/library/4533446593
http://www.sdmrm.org/

And my favorite item in the entire collection? This model train filled with alcohol – now that’s something every library needs!

I'm Famous, People Hate Me!

Wow - this is hilarious - The Annoyed Librarian, a blog I have long admired for pushing the bar and pissing people off, has devoted an entire blog post about me in that KPBS article. And to think none of this Meredith-bashing could have happened if I had only worn a headband instead of that funny hat to the ALA conference. Another example that fashion is powerful, people!

Now, this is not the first time people have misunderstood me and/or wanted to make a bad comment about me behind my back or online. As I always say, I am not a comedian but a verbally abusive motivational speaker…look out Tony Robbins! I am just terribly shocked that this time the trash talking came not from a comedy performance but from my fellow librarians, who I love and admire! And they called me old!!!! Now THAT is funny.

I don’t usually make it a habit to respond to criticism or morons with too much time on their hands, because in my opinion if you don’t get it, too bad. However, as I am still new at all of this blogging stuff, I will make an exception this one time…

Here’s the link to Annoyed Librarian’s ‘Substance, Not Style’ article and the numerous bad comments from my “fans”:

http://blog.libraryjournal.com/annoyedlibrarian/2011/01/17/substance-not-style/

And here is my response to all of it:

“Jeez - thanks everybody for throwing me under the bus. I was interviewed for the KPBS article, I didn't write it nor ask to be the "spokesperson" - plus the article and my quotes were focused on YA (where image is more important than it is with adults, who are smarter and can read between the lines - at least I thought so till I read your comments on here.) Are you this judgmental with your patrons too? I spent 4 years getting that degree so I have earned the right to call myself a librarian - a ton of money and top grades just for a "feather in my cap." My purpose with StandUpLibrarian.com is to entertain while educating people about the importance of libraries and ALL librarians (even you bitter, judgmental, unfashionable ones) - because that is what I can offer this field using my past experiences in comedy and PR. Humor, fun, numerous mistakes! It is my opinion, my journey, not an example of right or wrong - after all, I am still learning. What are you doing besides putting down someone who has done nothing but admire all of you and hope to work with you someday? You can hate me, think my opinion is unjustified, call me old, and say my failed purse business from 2005 is a joke, but at least I am using my time and energy trying to make positive change in an industry that needs it right now. My mission is to show the world that libraries are an important and fun place to be - now stop talking shit about me and help me!”

Bottom line, I am like no other person in the world and yet, I wouldn’t wish my life on any of you. It is complicated and confusing, with me wearing many fabulous hats with no real clue as to what I am doing in any of them. However, for the first time in my life, I am happy being exactly who I am (successes and failures) and with tremendous effort, I am trying to do something I love while hopefully, being a fun, positive influence in the process. I cannot control the press or what people say when they read the press, I can only laugh at it knowing my heart is in the right place. If you choose to step on it, so be it.

Meredith Goes to Capitol Hill to Fight For Our Libraries

While in Washington, D.C. attending the American Library Association (ALA) 2010 Annual Conference, I joined my fellow librarians on Capitol Hill for a rally in honor of Library Advocacy Day. I also interviewed Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and learned what people can do to help save their libraries from budget cuts. Happy 4th of July America - God Bless Librarians!!!