Took a free, public tour of the Central Library today. Yes, it's a library and i know it sounds nerdy but I loved it. I wish I had a library like this when I was growing up. It's so freaking beautiful and architecturally sound (is that even a usable phrase?). Heated from a plant located elsewhere, 10000 diamond shaped windows comprising it's walls (it's almost ALL window walls for the whole 10 stories), and earthquake sound (hasn't been proven yet but civil-engineering-wise, it should theoretically work out). 400 computers, all with unrestricted internet access barring the children's section. the first (i think) spiral bookkeeping system (i.e. the shelves and floors spiral up like a parking garage so preserve continuity when upgrades/additions are made to book collections. walking down all these floors via spiralling is about a 1 mile walk -- impressive. you can also eat/drink anywhere in the library which is amazing to me (though i contained my excitment since i was already in awe at this when i found out at a more local library that i wasn't getting kicked out for lugging my starbucks around...haha damn SF library making me feel like i had to hide all food/drink!) :)...oh and lights use sodium light bulbs in some way rather than the regular tungsten lights -- efficient and long-life (at least, it better be because the light bulbs are really hard to reach and change). one guy asked how they change the light bulbs and the guide said they rely on the long life of the bulb. when the guide was talking about cleaning the windows and why they don't have to do it often, i quipped that it rains enough there. :)

anyhow, not much else since the art museum closed on me :( will have to return there some other time.

pictures to come since they're not on my camera. :) will try to get them posted soon.

for now, rest assured that today was a rainy day for me...*sniff*...