Welcome to National Historic Preservation Week, National Police Week, and International Online Romance Week! Today is Limerick Day, observed on the birthday of one of its champions, Edward Lear (1812-1888). The limerick is the "only fixed verse form indigenous to the English language."
    Wednesday is National Receptionist Day, a day of recognition for our nation's frontline personnel in business, because you only get one chance to make a good first impression. Thursday is the anniversary of the first public performance of John Philip Sousa's march, "The Stars and Stripes Forever (1897). A bill was introduced in the Congress in 1985 to make this favorite the official national march of the United States.
    Friday is the anniversary of the day in 1930 when Ellen Church became the first airline stewardess (today's flight attendant), flying on a United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Cheyenne. Friday is also the anniversary of the day in 1940 when nylon hose first went on sale at stores throughout the country.
    Sunday is the anniversary of the day in 1792, when two dozen merchants and brokers agreed to establish what is now known as the New York Stock Exchange. In fair weather, they operated under a buttonwood tree on Wall Street. In bad weather, they moved to the shelter of a coffeehouse to conduct their business.

WHAT'S HAPPENING?
    Children can pick May flowers in books and a stick puppet play and make a May Basket with flower bouquet at Wednesday's 10:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. storytimes. Saturday morning's 10:00 storytime features stories about the octopus, and participants will make an octopus mobile and pop-up card.
    At 2:00 on Saturday afternoon, the library will offer a fun program for all ages, New Mexico's Heritage Through Books. Three authors, Albert Booky, John Kitchens, and John Truett, will talk about their books. Everyone is welcome to attend the program, which will be held in the Bondurant Room.

BOOK TALK
    This week's book information is provided by the library's Isidro Gonzalez. We all have a story to tell - our own life stories, filled with memorable incidents from the past, family history, and hard learned lessons that need to be told. The Roswell Public Library has assembled a bibliography of books to help you write your personal reflections.
    Included among these books are Ray Mungo's "Your Autobiography" and "Legacy" by Linda Spence, which offer suggestions on recovering memories you thought were forgotten and on the easiest way to structure those memories so that your family and friends will have a lasting record of who you are. "Writing from Life" by Susan Wittig Albert is a guided writing program especially for women. It contains exercises, meditations, and examples from women's writings that will inspire you to tell your soul's story.
    If your interest lies more in the telling than in the writing, Ann Pellowski's "The Family Storytelling Handbook" has tips on how to use stories, anecdotes, rhymes, handkerchiefs, paper, and other objects to help you tell family stories. "Telling Your Own Stories" by Donald Davis has ideas for family storytelling, as well as for personal journalings.
    Examples of personal recollections include "Mexican Voices/American Dreams" by Marilyn Davis, "Songs My Mother Sang to Me" by Patricia Martin, "Till Freedom Cried Out" by Lindsay T. Baker, and "My Crow Flat" by our own John Kitchens. These books will convince you to tell your story and, more importantly, to write it down. Your life is worth writing and reading about! DID YOU KNOW?
    Children and adults are intrigued by Slinky, the coiled toy that walks down stairs by itself. But did you know that if you stretch a standard Slinky out flat, it measures 87 feet long?

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: "It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere." (unknown)

JUDY ARMSTRONG, 624-7276

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