If you've spent a significant amount of time in Nashua over the last 30 years then we need your help!

Three reference librarians at the Nashua Public Library are researching and writing a 30th anniversary addendum to the book, The Nashua Experience. The original book, also written by a Nashua Public Library staff, discussed Nashua's past from 1673-1978. This sequel will include an update covering the years 1978-present.

As you might imagine, this project has involved many hours of research including personal interviews of prominent Nashuans, as well as an extensive review of archival materials such as the Nashua Telegraph and Nashua City Annual Reports. There are many political, social, and educational events that have occurred over the last 30 years that are being considered for inclusion.

It is for this reason, that the writers of this project are seeking the help of you as community members to provide feedback on which events are the most significant in shaping Nashua's recent history. They have developed a survey that you can complete online at our website or in print at the reference desk in the library.

Some fun happenings in the Children's Room over the next couple of weeks for everyone to be aware of. Today and next Tuesday, 12/11, at 4:00 pm we are making Winter Wonderland tree ornaments. It looks a little like a hanging snow globe with a little winter scene inside. This project is geared for children ages 5-12. On Thursday, 12/6 and 12/13, we will be making reindeer antlers with the 4-6 year old set at 1:00pm. Fun and totally cute. Of course puppet shows and stories will be thoroughly sprinkled throughout all of our events. And finally, on Thursday evening, 12/6 at 7pm and Monday morning, 12/10 at 10am, Mrs. Claus will be here at our storytimes to greet the kids and take Christmas lists and ideas back to Santa at the North Pole. The big guy has a lot to do these days so it's good that the missus has a little free time!! Bring your cameras because the pics will be memorable. Any questions about the holiday round-up for kids, please call 589-4631. Ho Ho Ho!!!

When updating some of the library's book newsletters recently, I have noticed that there are a number of very popular new books that focus on the incredibly powerful impact a dog can have on one's life. As a dog owner myself, I am immediately drawn towards such books, and I thought some of you might be as well. So here are five new books that you might like to explore.

Marley : a dog like no other / John Grogan

Bad Dog, Marley! / John Grogan

Dreaming in Libro : how a good dog tamed a bad woman / Louise Bernikow.

Merle's door : lessons from a freethinking dog / Ted Kerasote.

Rescuing Sprite : a dog lover's story of joy and anguish / Mark R. Levin.

Good dog. Stay / Anna Quindlen.

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Did you know that your library is open 72 ½ hours each week? That’s 4,350 minutes when you can: read a book, watch a movie, enjoy Storytime, surf the Internet, attend a program, or borrow a wide variety of materials. When the library is not open, you can use this website to download an audiobook, find great information in an iBrowse database, search the Books & More online catalog, or read this blog.

Library hours during the school year are: Monday-Friday, 9:00 am to 9:00 pm; Saturday, 9:00 am to 5:30 pm; and Sundays until May 18th, 2008 from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. Beginning in summer 2008, the library will be open on Saturdays in July and August.

Very rarely, the library closes due to a severe weather emergency. If the weather is truly horrific, and you’re wondering if the library is open, please call us at 589-4600. You can also check the weather closings at http://www.wmur.com.

If you've ever tried to find a nonfiction book in the library, yo've noticed the numbers--Dewey Decimal numbers--printed on the little white spine labels on books. While we arrange fiction by the author's last name, we organize nonfiction according to the Dewey Decimal System. Each number corresponds to a certain subject. This allows for most of the books on a subject to be grouped together.

The Dewey Decimal System was invented by Melvil Dewey, who was born in Adams Center, NY, on December 10, 1851 (156 years ago today). Dewey began his career in librarianship while he was a student at Amherst College. Upon graduation, he remained an employee of the library and investigated other libraries. Dewey developed ideas about how the library should be arranged, and in 1876 published A Classification and Subject Index for Cataloguing and Arranging the Books and Pamphlets of a Library. (You've got to love those 19th century titles; they're often long and descriptive.) This system became know as the Dewey Decimal System. Although many colleges and universities use the Library of Congress Classification System, public and school libraries tend to favor Dewey. In fact, the Dewey Decimal System has become the most widely used library classification in the world.

How, exactly does the Dewey Decimal System work? Dewey is divided into ten main classes of knowledge. Then, each class is broken down into ten divisions, and each division into ten sections. This creates a three-digit number. A decimal point often follows the three digits. The numbers following the decimal point get even more specific. When you look at the numbers after the decimal point, be sure to read the numbers individually, rather than as a whole (973.12 comes before 973.2).

Knowing the main classes of the Dewey Decimal System will give you a general idea of where books are located in the Nashua Public Library or any other library that uses Dewey. They are as follows:
000 Computer science, information & general works
100 Philosophy and psychology
200 Religion
300 Social Sciences
400 Language
500 Science
600 Technology
700 Arts & Recreation
800 Literature
900 History and Geography
Click here to see the divisions, sections, and a more in-depth explanation of the classification system.

Sometimes, books you may assume to be in one area will be elsewhere. Many books cover more than one subject or are about a multidisciplinary topic. I've noticed that the 900s and 300s have quite a bit of crossover. History is located in the 900s, but political science, civil rights, slavery & emancipation, and international relations are in the 300s. Some books that I assume to be in one area are actually in the other. If you can't find what you need, check the online catalog for a specific call number or ask a reference librarian for assistance.

Sources:

"Melvil Dewey." Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed. 17 Vols. Gale Research, 1998. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale, 2007 http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC

OCLC "Summaries, DDC Dewey Decimal Classification." Dublin, Oh.: OCLC, 2003. http://www.oclc.org/dewey/resources/summaries/deweysummaries.pdf

Most of us are concerned with the economy. Recession seems to be sitting on a park bench right around the corner. I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to buy it a hotdog. Economists tell us that the surest way to avoid recession is to spend, spend, spend, spend. That’s right, folks. We, the consumers, have the power to save our country simply by bankrupting ourselves. Gosh. I’m afraid I’m just not that patriotic.

A little background here; without getting into too much detail, my husband and I are clinging to the lowest rung on the middle class ladder and I think it has a crack in it. It’s a good thing that neither of us carries much change in our pockets. The extra weight could be fatal. I’m no expert in finance, but one of the biggest perks I get working at the circulation desk here at the library is that hundreds of books, magazines, and newspapers pass through my hands every day. We have a large selection of materials on how to manage your money or how to manage to keep some of your money. I’ve found that the best way to get practical information you can successfully implement is to take out a lot of different books on the same subject and look up whatever applies to your personal situation. You can usually pick up one or two good tips from each resource.

With about a million children (5 actually) who all went to catholic schools K through 12 and then four of whom went on to four years of college each, we haven’t had a whole lot of money left over to bank. Now in our later years we are enjoying the challenge of paying off multiple, multiple loans while trying to continue to eat and wear clothes. I’ve found a few ways to control our spending which real human beings can live with. I would like to share them with you.

As the old adage goes, a penny saved is a penny earned. Translation, don’t spend it in the first place. Big tip number 1 is before you buy, ask yourself “Do I need it or do I want it”. 99.9% of the time the answer will be “I don’t need it”. This can be very tough which is why tip number 2 is huge: Stay out of places where you’re tempted to buy; such as shoe stores if you love shoes, book stores if you love books, don’t shop on the web, etc. Stop nickel and diming yourself to death. Pack a lunch for work everyday, stay away from vending machines, make your coffee at home, don’t buy magazines from the newsstand (borrow them from the library) keep snacks in your glove compartment, don’t buy bottled water use a refillable sports bottle, don’t go out for dinner every time you turn around. I’m sure you have your own monetary downfalls. Our biggest temptation is going out to dinner. I’ve found that if I mark the kitchen calendar each time we do, we go out a lot less often. Sometimes these things are unavoidable or you just want to have some fun. The trick is to not make a habit of them. It’s very easy to leak money, just pay attention.

At home, control spending where you can. I run around like a crazy woman turning off lights. I think to myself, if there was a power outage, would I need a lantern or a flashlight to do this. Run the washer and drier for the shortest time to accomplish the task. Don’t run the dishwasher (if you have one) unless it’s full. Keep the number of long distance phone calls down. Buy the new energy saving light bulbs. Everyone has their Achilles heel, mine is the heat. I do have to have the heat set at a comfortable temperature, about 68 degrees, because I can’t stand to be cold. When we’re home, we supplement our heat with a woodstove. I also turn the heat down to 60 degrees at night.

This tip is wonderful; a gift from the heart is never a waste of money. I don’t think they were talking about a car though.

I realize that we aren’t saving millions, but we are saving enough to pay down our debt a little faster. Who knows, maybe someday we will retire.

When you have a problem it’s a relief to find a solution that is not only helpful but simple and in this case, FREE. If you’d like to learn more about handling your money, come on down and check out a few books. We’ll leave the light on (if it’s dark enough).

Some titles to consider:

The Everything Get Out of Debt Book by Cheryl Kimball

You Don't Have to be Rich by Jean Chatzky

Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

Personal Finance for Dummies by Eric Tyson

Been waiting for the Nashua Telegraph to be digitized? There's good news!

Back issues of the Nashua Telegraph from 1946 to 1977 are now available in the Newspaper Archive database. Even better, you can access this historical newspaper collection from any computer with internet access, whether in the library, at home, or on the road.

You can use the Newspaper Archive database by going to our databases page. Click on the link for the Newspaper Archive. If you're trying this from outside the library, you'll need to enter the last 5 digits of your library card number. Then you'll be brought to the main page for the Newspaper Archive database, where you can search or browse through the newspapers.

In addition to the Telegraph, the Newspaper Archive database gives you access to more than 2,000 historical newspapers from around the country, including the New York Times and much more.

The database has scanned images of the actual newspapers, so you'll see photographs as well as the text of the articles. You can print or download copies of the articles in PDF format.

You can also browse through the Resources section for collections of articles on a particular topic. These include articles on Abraham Lincoln, AIDS, global warming, September 11, the Kennedy assassination, and much more.

So, take a look at the Newspaper Archive and let us know how you like it!

When was the last time you made a bowl or two of popcorn and sat down with your WHOLE family to watch a movie? Granted that Disney and Dreamworks have made some great films in recent years that both children and adults can enjoy, but for the most part Hollywood targets films to specific audiences, often leaving some members of your family looking for something else to do for the evening.

Boston Globe movie critic Ty Burr has given this problem some thought, and after watching Mulan one too many times, decided that, for him, the old classic movies were the answer. So Ty sat down and wrote a book about watching classic films with modern children called The best old movies for families : A guide to watching together (Anchor Books, 2007, MAM 791.4375 B). In it he selects films that mom, dad, and the kids can watch and enjoy together and discuss afterwards. The actors are talented, the storylines are fresh, and black and white ain’t so bad once you get used to it. Best of all you’ll find no explicit sex, graphic violence, raw language, or marketing tie-ins with Coke, Hasbro, or Burger King. Perfect!

Ty’s book begins with “Starter Kits” – the first old movies to watch with your children. He breaks these down by age. For toddlers (ages 3-6) he suggests fast-paced stories that are simple without being dumbed down such as:

Bringing Up Baby (B&W; 1938) with Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant
Meet Me in St. Louis (Color; 1944) with Judy Garland
Singin’ in the Rain (Color; 1952) with Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor
Stagecoach (B&W; 1939) with John Wayne

For tweeners (ages 7-12) he suggests “killer stories” such as:

The African Queen (Color; 1951) with Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn
The Day the Earth Stood Still (B&W; 1951) with Michael Rennie and Patricia Neal
North by Northwest (Color; 1959) directed by Alfred Hitchcock with Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint
Ohayo/Good Morning (Color; 1959) directed by Yasujiro Ozu
Some Like It Hot (B&W; 1959) with Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe

And for teenagers (ages 13+) he suggests some of the classics that contemporary films that teens love are based upon such as:

Metropolis (B&W; 1927) directed by Fritz Lang
Psycho (B&W; 1960) directed by Alfred Hitchcock with Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh
The Seven Samurai (B&W; 1954) directed by Akira Kurosawa

In all, his book reviews over 100 of the old classics by genre: Comedy, Drama, Action, Horror, and Foreign, with an index that organizes the best old movies by age group. Each film review includes recommended ages, "The sell" to kids, a plot outline, "Pause-button explanations" regarding questions your child might have, and suggestions for what to watch next. Ty recommends that the first old movie you watch with your child should be a comedy. He also renders advice on old movies NOT to watch with your children and why.

The Nashua Public Library maintains a large collection of classic films many of which have been remastered, and we’re pleased to report that we own most of the titles Ty recommends. Here's a sampling of more of Ty's suggestions that you'll find at the library:

For ages 3 and up

The Court Jester (Color; 1956) with Danny Kaye
Safety Last (B&W; 1923) with Harold Lloyd

For ages 8 and up

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Color; 1953) with Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell
High Noon (B&W; 1952) with Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly
It Happened One Night (B&W; 1934) with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert
Roman Holiday (B&W; 1953) with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck

For ages 12 and up

Breakfast at Tiffany's (Color; 1961) with Audrey Hepburn and Mickey Rooney
On the Waterfront (B&W; 1954) with Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint, Rod Steiger and Karl Malden
The Searchers (Color; 1956) with John Wayne and Natalie Wood
Sunset Blvd. (B&W; 1950) with Gloria Swanson and William Holden
The Third Man (B&W; 1949) with Orson Welles

Not a fan of Black & White or Classic films? The Nashua Public Library has sections of films on both VHS and DVD designated for family viewing in the Music, Art & Media Department. These films are generally rated no higher than PG. We also carry other guide books listing family-friendly films such as:

The New York Times essential library : Children's movies : A critic's guide to the best films available on video and DVD (Times Books, 2003, MAM 791.4375 N) and
What can we watch tonight? A family guide to movies (Zondervan, 2003, MAM 791.4375 N)

or, just check our Family Friendly Film Guide for web sites to help with your selections. Happy viewing!

People interested in the development of words and their meanings and the history of language will be delighted, amazed or alarmed to discover that the Merriam-Webster online dictionary word of the year for 2007 is a combination of letters and numbers. The word, w00t, which looks like it should rhyme with root, received the most votes in a competition against words such as facebook, sardoodledom, and Pecksniffian. All of these words were in a list of the twenty most frequently looked up words in Merriam-Webster's Online dictionary. Just because w00t was #1 word of the year does not mean that it will be found in newly published Merriam-Webster print dictionaries, however. That apparently is a reward given only after time has proven the word worthy of inclusion. If you are curious about how a word gets into the print dictionary, Merriam-Webster has a good explanation in the FAQ section of their website.

W00t is popular with online gamers. Its meaning is more or less YAY, or YIPEE, or HORRAY! Merriam-Webster's online dictionary calls this type of language - letters and numbers combined, "leet" or in the language of computer gamers, "l33t" or "elite" speak. Language and technology are increasingly becoming interrelated. Will letters and numbers someday be interchangable in words? Merriam-Webster online dictionary has been choosing a word of the year since 2003. During that time, honors have gone to truthiness the 2006 winner over words like google and terrorism, in 2005 integrity was #1, winning out over refugee and levee. In 2004, the word, blog, was a winner. Hard to believe it's only been popular for such a few years!

If you have a love of language, or just a passing interest in words, their origins and meanings, the library has a number of good books to educate and entertain you.

Predicting new words : the secrets of their success
The Oxford dictionary of word histories
[Spanglish] : the making of a new American language
There's a word for it!: a grandiloquent guide to life
Verbatim

So, I will leave you with this thought, couched in some of the most popular words of recent years: If you find yourself in a quagmire of words while engaged in a filibuster with a group of insipid individuals, impress them with a tsunami of words of your own.

The Teen Advisory Group (TAG for short) would like to invite you to the library to view their creation of a winter wonderland. At their most recent meeting they decorated gingerbread houses to put on display in the teen room and to bring some winter spirit to the library.

I thought some of you might be interested in building a house as well so I found a few books in our collection that you might find helpful.

Making gingerbread houses : and other gingerbread treats by Joanna Farrow

The gingerbread book by Steven Stellingwerf

Helpful Websites:
Food Networks Gingerbread House Recipe and Blueprints

Gingerbread House 101

Gingerbread for Gingerbread House Kit

If you think this sounds fun, but you're not one of those crafty people that does everything from scratch, don't be sad, many craft and grocery stores sell kits that include all the necessary ingredients. All that's required is assembly.

Christmas is one week from today. My list of things to do seems to grow as each minute ticks away. I keep telling myself to relax and that everything will be ready because it always is and if everything I want to do does not get done...oh well, there is always next year!! But, while I do look forward to the holidays and love to get together with family and friends at Christmas, my very favorite day of the year will actually be here in eight days...December 26th!! I have relished this day since my three kids were just tiny. To me this is perhaps the most relaxing day of the entire year. A day to stay in bathrobes and pj's, eat leftover Christmas goodies, and play with all the new toys (or in some cases, to put the new toys together and then play!!) My children are all teenagers now and today the toys are primarily of the electronic nature or the green stuff that they will spend merrily at the mall but I still love December 26th for the freedom it allows and the expectation that next year I am going to have everything done far in advance of December 25th...

Here at the library we are swamped with books being returned and finding limited space on our tightly packed shelves for all these returned items. Teachers and families seem to like the idea of clearing the decks before the avalanche of Christmas rolls through our homes. When January comes around folks will be back to carry out stacks of new books to read, but just before Christmas they have far more important things to do and very little time to enjoy the leisure of reading. When things do pick up again in the new year, we hope families will want to register their children for the many fun programs we have scheduled to begin in January. Crafts, storytimes, knitting, miniatures, movies and much more will all be here for free when the hub bub settles down and the new year begins. Just call 589-4631 and we will be happy to give you all the details. In the meantime, Happy Holidays and Happy December 26th to all...

Would you like to listen to this blog entry? If so, click on the play button below. Otherwise, go ahead and read the entry yourself!

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Do you use instant messaging (IM) for communicating with people online? Trends show that IM is increasingly replacing email as the preferred means for communicating online. With this in mind, the library's general adult and business reference staff have updated their portion of the website to include a Meebo "widget" that enables customers to instant message staff directly from the reference home page, http://www.nashualibrary.org/reference.htm. The widget is piece of software developed by a company named Meebo and is very easy to use.

I've included a similar IM widget here in this entry. Why not try sending us a message! Type your message in the bottom portion of the widget where it says "Type here..." and then hit the Enter key on your keyboard. If one of the reference librarians is logged in at the time, he or she will send you a reply which will appear in the top half of the widget. Continue to send messages back and forth until you your question has been answered.

To learn more about this "widget", visit http://blog.meebo.com/products. And if you have any difficulty using the widget, give the reference desk a call at 589-4611!

Oh, the weather outside is frightful,
But the library's so delightful,
So come in and take a look,
Read a book, read a book, read a book!

We have new books for your browsing pleasure,
Or take a look at literary treasures.
We have instructions on how to cook,
Read a book, read a book, read a book!

When for the night we close our doors,
How you'll miss the resources in this place,
But even from that home of yours,
You can search our database.

Your TV is slowly dying,
It's almost got you crying,
So curl up in a in a little nook,
And read a book, read a book, read a book!

I voted in my first New Hampshire Primary in 1984 and haven’t missed a primary since. I make an effort to be an informed voter, but for a while I was passive observer of the process. It wasn’t until the 2000 election that I started attending events and “meeting” the candidates. You don’t have to go far to discover what a candidate is like up close and personal, and for me, that interaction trumps what I read or hear about a candidate. I try to meet candidates that interest me from both parties. I appreciate the time and attention they give our state and I like to return the favor by taking some care to discern who I think is the best candidate to lead this nation into the future.

The Nashua Public Library is very serious about keeping the city informed about both the Presidential candidates and the issues we face. You’ll find a trove of books and articles about the entire process in the library, including a fairly large collection of films and documentaries that we hope will satisfy your political interests. Here are some DVDs to prime you for the Primary:

About the candidates

Giuliani Time: The Man Who Would Be King (2006) – a critical view of Rudy Giuliani’s term as mayor of New York.

The Hunting of the President (2004) – a film about efforts to defeat and discredit Bill Clinton from Arkansas to the White House.

The Mormons (2007) – a PBS documentary of the Mormons in America, from Joseph Smith to today’s church.

About domestic issues

A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash (2007) – a film that makes the case for an upcoming decline of the world’s oil supply.

End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream (2004) – our suburbs were built upon the availability of cheap oil, and how oil shortages will change the suburban way of life.

Farmingville (2004) – a film examining how suburban Farmingville, NY deals with the influx of Mexican workers.

An Inconvenient Truth (2006) – Al Gore’s argument that global warming is occurring and the world must address the problem.

Oil on Ice (2004) – explores the issues of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Sicko (2007) – Michael Moore’s latest aims at the inequitities and inefficiencies of our health care system.

Tying the Knot: The Union that’s Dividing America (2004) – explores the issue of gay marriage in America.

Who Killed the Electric Car? (2006) – the electric car was once a viable transportation option in America but certain forces allied against its success. Here's a look at what happened and what we can hope for in the future regarding energy efficient transportation solutions.

About the war on terror

Here are a few of the many films that have been produced about 9/11 and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq:

Aftermath: Unanswered Questions from 9/11 (2003) - an examination of 9/11 events 2 years after this horrific event.

Alive Day Memories : Home from Iraq (2007) - a documentary about soldiers wounded in Iraq.

The Blood of My Brother (2005) - the insurgency from an Iraqi point of view.

Fahrenheit 9/11 - Michael Moore's much talked about documentary.

Gunner Palace (2004) - a film about a American unit operating out of one of Saddam's former palaces.

Inside 9/11 - a well-done National Geographic documentary chronicling events surrounding 9/11.

Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers (2006) - a look at the monetary cost of the war and the misuse of funds intended for reconstruction.

My Country, My Country (2006) - a film about the war's toll on Iraqi civilians.

No End in Sight (2007) – an insightful look at how the Iraq war careened out of control, told by Bush administration insiders.

Rush to war: between Iraq and a hard place (2004) - a critical appraisal of our rationale to go to war.

Uncovered: The Whole Truth about the Iraq War (2004) - a view from the opposition as moveon.org and others interview government officials in an effort to discern the roots of the decision to invade Iraq.

Voices of Iraq (2004) - the people of Iraq speak about the war.

The War Tapes (2007) - NH National Guardsman are given cameras to film their year in Iraq. This is the result.

Why We Fight (2005) - not the Frank Capra WW II classic but a revealing film that begins with President Eisenhower's admonition to beware of the military-industrial complex and chronicles how we have failed to heed his warning.

WMD: Weapons of Mass Deception (2004) - based on Danny Schechter's book: "Embedded - Weapons of Mass Deception: How the Media Failed to Cover the War in Iraq".

Documentaries

Feed: A comedy about running for president (1992) - a documentary on the news feeds that 1992 Presidential candidates didn't want you to see.

Primary: the landmark film that took on the road to the Kennedy White House (1960)

RFK Must Die (2007) - a recent documentary on the assassination of Robert Kennedy in 1968.

Run Granny Run (2007) - while not related to the primary, Doris "Granny D" Haddock's political activism in her 90th decade is legendary. This film documents her 2004 run for US Senate.

Feature films

Bobby (Drama; 2006) – a film chronicling the 1968 assassination of presidential candidate Robert Kennedy.

The Manchurian Candidate (Drama; 1962) - the original classic with Frank Sinatra!

The Manchurian Candidate (Drama; 2004) - the remake with Denzel Washington.

Nashville (Drama; 1975) - a Robert Altman film.

Primary Colors (Comedy; 1998) - a thinly veiled fictional film about a southern governor running for president.

Wag the Dog (Comedy; 1997) - a dark political comedy.

A word about fair and balanced. Your point of view may not be represented in some of these films, and if not, we encourage your recommendations. Above all we encourage you to examine the issues from others' points of view and vote on January 8th. That's the New Hampshire way!

I decided to write about the NH Primary in my blog this time. I spent time researching and planning and got ready to write. What a surprise! When I went to the library's blog site, I discovered that someone else had written about the Primary already! I complained to one of my coworkers that I had certainly wasted my time. She said "go ahead and write about it anyway. It's not going to happen again for another four years, and it's here now." So I thought about it, and here goes!

Some things I will not miss when the primary is over are the constant ringing of the phone, the machine full of important messages left by representatives of one candidate or another, and all of the surveys which "will only take a minute of your time and have you considered voting for_ and why haven't you made up your mind yet" or "can we take a minute to try and change your mind".

I've spent time trying to educate myself about the various candidates and their platforms. I don't know who I want to vote for yet, but there is a lot of information out there to help me decide. Since I spend so much time in front of a computer, I turned to the internet for information. Local newspapers were well represented. The Manchester Union Leader - New Hampshire Sunday News maintains a web presence as well as publishing in print. The UnionLeader.com has a primary primer. All types of information about each candidate in both parties can be found here. The fun part is at the bottom of the webpage where two columns, pink and blue, contain links to many of the candidates online sites. There are links to the candidates' MYSPACE and YOUTUBE sites as well as official sites, political sites and personal websites.

The Nashua Telegraph is active on line as well. NH Primary.com has links to candidate pictures and information, candidate appearance schedules, and some NH Primary history. I did notice that some candidates who are no longer in the primary race are still listed on this site, and that candidate profiles seem to come from Wikipedia. Still, parts of this site are current and the primary history does make interesting reading.

The third site, The New Hampshire Primary 2008 is posted by SeaCoast Online, which features the Portsmouth, Exeter and Hampton NH newspapers. Here you can find links to political columns and blogs, updated candidate profiles, campaign appearances, photo galleries and videos.

As I read this over, I'm surprised again. This wasn't what I started out to say, but it's where I ended up. My feeling is that a lot of reading and watching and listening will help you make a much better, more informed decision than letting yourself be pressured into decisions by anonymous voices on the phone.

As 2007 comes to a close you will see and hear many media outlets (television, radio, newspapers) create "best of 2007" lists. So whether your a pop culture junkie glued to VH1's Celebrity Eye Candy Best of 2007 or a news fanatic reading Time Magazine's Person of the Year. I thought I'd compile a web guide for you to broaden your horizon.

Best of 2007 Resource List

Best Books of 2007 by Library Journal

Consumer Reports Car Top Picks 2007

The 100 Best Products of 2007 by PCWorld

The 100 Best Songs of 2007 by Rolling Stone

National Geographic's Top Ten News Stories of 2007

Time's Top 10 Oddball News Stories

100 Best Companies to Work For 2007 by Fortune

Top Movies for 2007 by Rotten Tomatoes

PC Magazine's Top Websites of 2007

This is just a sample of the "best of lists" that exist. Do you have a good list that you refer back to year after year that I didn't mention? Leave a comment below to share it.