Last weekend, with a mixture of trepidation and anticipation, I returned to college for a class reunion. A little more wrinkled (or "well-seasoned" as I like to think of it), we cautiously peered at each other, checked out the name tags, and tried to figure out what we had in common. Once we'd nailed down how we'd known each other (or given up trying), the conversation moved on to "what are you up to these days?"

It was fascinating to hear what changes a few years had brought: new careers, children, home buying, weddings. I should probably disclose here that I went to a women's college, and was fortunate to graduate at a time when women were mostly free to choose their own paths. So it is not surprising that classmates have gone on to become doctors, lawyers, hedge fund partners, stay-at-home moms, librarians, voice teachers, college professors, social workers, and more. Even now, though, the issue of working mothers is still debated in some circles. In fact, we have a number of articles on both sides of the argument in an excellent database called "Opposing Viewpoints." There's even an article or two on stay-at-home dads. You can reach the database by going to our home page, www.nashualibrary.org, then looking in the banner under "Databases"-->"Most Popular"-->"Opposing Viewpoints."

You can also read more about the work-family balance in magazine articles such as "Why Moms Should Work" (Ladies Home Journal, April 2007) in the EBSCO database, again available through our web site. (For direct access to the alphabetical list of databases, go to http://www.nashua.lib.nh.us/IbrowseAdultAlpha.htm.)

If you'd rather have a book on the career/family balance, there's a collection of essays from a variety of perspectives, "Mommy wars: stay-at-home and career moms face off on their choices, their lives, their families", edited by Leslie Morgan Steiner. You'll find this on the parenting shelf in the children's department.

Some of my classmates always knew what they wanted to do; others had changed paths along the way. For those considering a change of career, a good place to start is the classic career guide, "What color is your parachute?: a practical manual for job-hunters & career changers", by Richard Nelson Bolles.

Another career book that caught my eye looks more at changing trends in how people approach their careers: "The opt-out revolt : why people are leaving companies to create kaleidoscope careers," by Lisa A. Mainiero & Sherry E. Sullivan. Library Journal describes this one as "the results of a five-year-long quantitative and qualitative research study examining how and why the career patterns of both men and women have changed from the traditional ever upward model to a path with multiple forks and rest stops."

If you're more interested in stories about others who have made life changes, there's "U-turn: what if you woke up one morning and realized you were living the wrong life?," by Bruce Grierson.

Those seeking a new career might also want to check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, online at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ or in paper at the library. This handbook gives information about what various jobs entail, what working conditions to expect, what the outlook for growth in the field is, what salaries are typical, and what training or education is required.

Over a year ago, in the 3/1/07 issue of Booklist, p 41, Will Manley advocated for "The Resurrection of Ebenezer Scrooge". Fed up with the excesses of the season, he finally decided to oppose it:

"This year I said no to Christmas altogether, totally and completely. I didn't go to any parties, didn't string up any lights, didn't send out a single card, didn't give a single gift, didn't send a single thank-you card for gifts received, and I sure as hell didn't put up a damn tree."

Safe to say that Manley's acquaintances didn't appreciate his open attitude. Some thought he was sick, depressed, even terminal. ("That's right, a whole bunch of people thought I was going to die.") But they all called him a scrooge, and it's this epithet which prompted his article on the subject. Manley thinks Ebenezer Scrooge is "the greatest literary character of all time, bar none", and sets the the record straight by going back to the original text of Dickens:

"If only people were to stop watching all the hokey movies based on Dickens' Christmas Carol and start reading the book itself. Scrooge did not proactively 'scrooge' anybody. Cratchitt was free to seek employment elsewhere. The fact that he couldn't find another job gives you a pretty good indication about his lack of job skills. Also, Scrooge didn't exactly call up talk radio and start broadcasting his opinions about Christmas. It was his nephew, Fred, and those two from the United Fund who proactively approached Scrooge at his place of business during working hours. He didn't seek them out, but when they interrupted him at work, he was honest about his views. He wasn't a hypocrite like so many others on the subject of Christmas. Blame him for his honesty, but don't blame him for going out of his way to ruin anyone's holiday. Third, Scrooge was not insensitive to the poor. His view that the poor are ultimately the responsibility of government was both enlightened and progressive -- certainly ahead of his time. Even the most rock-ribbed Republican would agree with his argument that, in a civilized society, government should make provisions to solve the problems of poverty. In that sense, Scrooge was a social prophet."

Whether or not we celebrate the holiday season, let's at least join hands with Manley in rescuing Scrooge from an unfair reputation. I'd like to wish everyone a happy holiday -- to whatever degree you do or don't celebrate it -- and if you're looking for something to read, why not come to the library and borrow the original Dickens' classic!