Marilyn Carpenter June 18, 1936 - November 20, 2013

My Aunt Marilyn passed away last week.  She was generous, loving and just all around wonderful.  Eric and I were able to visit with her this past May.  She was deep in her struggle with ALS, but she was bright and shining and beautiful to me during that visit.  I could tell that she was much loved and well cared for by her husband, Uncle Ralph, and her son, Jim Foxx. 

In my Mother's Day 2013 blog back in May (written the morning after our visit with Marilyn), I described her the following way:

"I recall her helping me with my math homework on one of her visits to Alabama.  I was far more taken by her glittery owl necklace than the math.  Marilyn also once bought me a very sophisticated two-piece, royal blue, terry cloth Gloria Vanderbilt pantsuit because she thought I could pull it off.  You read right, a two-piece, royal blue, terry cloth Gloria Vanderbilt pantsuit.   Yes, I appreciate the pantsuit, but I appreciate more the encouragement and the confidence she gave me to wear that pantsuit."

I will miss her.

Her obituary:

"Carpenter, Marilyn, Age 77; Independence, KY; Devoted wife of James Ralph Carpenter; Loving mother of James Foxx, Donald Carpenter, Karen Carpenter and Bryan Carpenter; Dear grandmother of Johnathan and Laura Beth Carpenter; Sister of Kenneth Roark; Aunt of Michael Roark; Preceded in death by siblings, Ronald, Robert and Carol Roark; November 20, 2013; A funeral service will be held on Monday, November 25, 2013 at Day Springs Church, 1060 Smiley Ave., Cincinnati at 11:00am with an hour of visitation prior to the service; Remembrances may be sent to the ALS Association. Condolences may be left for the family at www.paulyoungfuneralhome.com"

To whoever urinated down the front of the women's staff toilet and failed to clean it up...

I have held my job for over seven years now.  During those seven years, I have witnessed some pretty disgusting things that have occurred in the public bathrooms of our library.  Unfortunately, I have also witnessed some pretty disgusting things that have happened in our staff bathrooms, things that have left me absolutely dismayed (and disgusted) at some of my coworkers.  So, from this point on, I refuse to go quietly and clean up someone else's bio hazardous waste.  After having in the past cleaned up things such as fecal matter, menstrual blood (What?!?  Has someone just been shot in here?!?) and then just staring in dismay at someone's used pregnancy test (negative, by the way), I will make my voice heard.  I will clean up the messes, but I will send out mass staff emails and I will share them here on my blog. Shame can be a powerful teaching tool.  I'm sorry to have to expose you to this...

Here is my first bathroom-related email, sent two days ago: 

To whoever urinated down the front of the women's staff toilet and failed to clean it up...

Greetings, ladies (gentlemen, you may stop reading now unless you used the ladies' staff bathroom this afternoon),

I regret that I find myself having to write another email in which I have to mention something that should not ever have to be mentioned among adults.  But this is something that I feel compelled to mention merely because it was so alarming for me to stumble upon in a staff bathroom.

This afternoon at approximately 1:55 (I know the time because I was about to make my way to the 2PM staff meeting), I went into the women's staff bathroom to conduct some business when I discovered that someone had urinated down the front of the toilet and onto the floor.  

I understand that we all get in a hurry sometimes to do our business in the lavatory so that we can get back to work, but this kind of expeditiousness is completely unnecessary and, frankly, not in any way efficient or hygienic.

You: urinated quickly and haphazardly.

I:  scrubbed your urine (with the Clorox wipes that were on the shelf in front of the toilet that you could have easily used yourself) off of the toilet seat, the entire front of the porcelain base and the floor (including the grout in between the tiles because it had seeped into and had stained). You. Are. Welcome.

As with past incidents, I do not care to know who you are.  I only hope that you will take more care in the future.

Regards,