Monday, October 18th, 2010

So Remember that Book Moratorium? #Fail

How to Read a Book - the Book VersionIf you recall, I issued a moratorium on book purchases only a few short days ago.

I’ve already failed…big time.

I had a meeting with the owner of Constellation Books yesterday – this was part meet and greet, part reconnaissance for me. As I am notorious for getting lost, even armed with map and GPS, I needed this dry-run so I could work out the kinks before my reading with other authors there on October 30.

(I did get lost, BTW – and that cost me nearly an extra hour in travel time to get there.)

The problem was not the bookstore…although I did order a book while I was there — but I’d already factored that into the moratorium.

The problem was the church yard sale I passed on my way to the bookstore. Have I admitted here yet that I’m seriously addicted to yard sales? Here goes:

Hello, my name is Kelly.
 
I salivate at the prospect of a good yard sale. I hyperventilate if it’s a multi-family or community affair.
 
If I’m driving, be a good sport and don’t complain when I stop. If you’re driving, you’d better pull over if you know what’s good for you.

Okay – I’m not that bad. I’ve been known to drive by tables filled with, ahem, junk. I do have my standards. Plus: I won’t stop if there isn’t a lot of stuff to look at. Otherwise, it’s just not worth my time.

But I digress.

So, I stopped at this church yard sale….and I nearly filled TWO shopping bags with books. They were mostly paperbacks, which means I fit quite a few into the two bags. I haven’t counted them. Suffice to say, it was a lot of books.

I’d like to think that this serious book acquisition is tempered by the fact that the books are mostly what I like to call disposable books: books I want to read, but (probably) won’t keep. I’ll donate them. In other words: they’re only temporary residents in the house.

Oh, and I picked up a several with someone else in mind (Hi, Sue!). I’ll hand those over the next time I see that someone. And since I didn’t get those for myself, I figure those don’t count.

Nonetheless, a major fail for me and my moratorium.

Anyone else have trouble sticking to this kind of “diet?”

9 comments to So Remember that Book Moratorium? #Fail

  • Sue

    I was going to accuse you of having an addiction until I read that you got some books for me too! You just might a well acknowledge that you are never going to be able to pass up books and enjoy yourself!! Thanks for thinking of me.

    • Hi Sue! I’m glad you read to the end…otherwise you might not know I’ve got a sackful of books here for you. I hope they’re actually the kind you like, and not the kind I thought you might like!

  • I spent close to three hours last Saturday in a used-book store in Frederick (six more books to read), where a friendly patron introduced me to a site that will consume most of my excess books from now on. It’s called “paperbackswap.com” Visit at your own risk, Kelly!

    • Hi Carl! Oh, I’ve got a “want list” at the swap a mile long right now. The sad fact is, I have way to many books to log them on the system and wait for people to let me know they want them. Much easier to donate…. 🙂

      • With NaNoWriMo just around the corner, I’m wondering when I’m going to get my reading pile down as well (which is why I only grabbed six this time.) Are you in this year?

        • The Nano is always tempting…but I’ve always got so much more going on. Not sure if I’m committed yet…but I figure I’ve got another week or so to decide. What will you be working on?

          • I’ve decided to go with two novellas that have a common theme: those who stand against the darkness and defend the rest of us without rest, without reinforcements, without fail.

            A former “supersoldier” with disabled enhancements must defend a city mall against a gang war led by enigmatic thugs that appear to possess vampire-like powers.

            Four recruits on patrol between the earth and moon answer calls of distress from careless ships, perform routine cargo inspections, and face a growing piracy threat that others cannot or will not acknowledge as real.

  • Victoria

    Book Diet??? I could never make that work. But junk diet, YES! Both my hubby and I use to be really bad about never getting rid of anything. Our house was full and lots of it ended up not being used or too old, etc. After getting rid of old, broken, and no longer used items, new rules went into effect that might help with your “diet”
    1. If something comes in, something MUST goes out (us it “junk items”, you maybe trade out books?),
    2. No longer used items get donated NOW not later.
    3. Damaged or broken items are trashed, not saved for future repare (you might donate/pass on books you have e-copies of or extras or know you won’t read).
    4. No more sale buying, earily gift buying, etc. IE stop extra storage of non-needed items. For book people, this would mean not going to the Borders tent sale last month and buying 2 bags of books just because they were such good prices and I heard of the authors or had one other book by them vs actually going to the store for that specific book. Yes, I did that…we will not talk about that one….no wonder that is no room one my bookshelves 🙂

    Just a few ideas that I try to use (not always with success).
    Vicky

    • Hi Vicky! Thanks for stopping by. I love seeing new folks around here.

      Thank you for the wonderful advice! I’ve tried some of those tips in the past, and I know they really work. The trouble for me is “maintenance” on that diet! Always something better to do than say, pawing through the pile to see what’s going to go out when something new comes in. But I’m very good at getting rid of the broken stuff!

      About that Borders tent sale, is that a yearly thing? A monthly thing? I missed it. (Note: I’m thinking that it’s a really good thing I missed it.) But I’d like to mark my calendar for the next one… 🙂

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