boys without toys.

something I learned today: male circumcision comes in a few different varieties and has been practiced for a few different reasons -- cutting off various degrees of foreskin, leaving some hanging as a half-attached "flap" is common in parts of Africa, for example. some cultures thought that removing the foreskin would attract the opposite sex (gotta go with them there), that it would bring more sexual pleasure (not so much, unfortunately), and/or it would be healthier, cleaner, safer (yup). some did it at birth, others waited until adolescence, when it would really really hurt, as a right of passage. I learned all this in about a minute and a half during my shift today on the third floor of the rock in a journal called Orthodox Judaism -- given another 30 minutes or a library card I may have been able to contextualize it, but being on the clock serves as a restraining order of sorts, and they won't let me check books out anymore (boo! boo!).

I almost learned about new battle tactics but one of my fellow library assistants came by with her cart and a quick disapproving glance made me think better of it.

guess I'm gonna have to come in on my days off and make use of all this pent up book-want...