I've been in a frenzy of cleaning activity for the past four days. A truckload (Ryder, not 18-wheeler) of my "stuff" was unceremoniously dumped upon my doorstep by my family. It was the not-so-subtle hint that my effluvia was no longer welcome in their basement. Remember all of the things you once thought were so vitally important? I've been going through mine and I keep wanting to throttle myself for keeping so much crapola. For example:
- A unicorn collection. Were I still a virgin, this might be useful.
- Moldering sci-fi paperback collection. Yes, I still love Anne McCaffrey, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and Terry Brooks, but it's a kinder, less passionate love. One that doesn't have room for their stinky, yellowing classics. (Why did I buy paperbacks? Why not hardcovers? What was I thinking?)
- A complete set of first-edition Dungeons & Dragons books and modules. Eeek! Nerd alert! Maybe I can Ebay them to some other, more freakish loser. One with lots of space for old books. People actually do buy classic D&D stuff, so this might net me some cash.
- A mangy faux fur coat. THAT will be handy this summer in NC. (Remember that old M*A*S*H episode where Klinger is running around in a wet suit and fur coat during the heat of the summer, trying to prove once and for all he's crazy? Maybe I could do that.)
- Clothes that I had no business buying in the first place, let alone wearing now. I'll say one word-- miniskirt. 'Nuff said.
So I've been unpacking, tossing, resorting, and whining-- in no particular order-- for the past 4 days. The unexpected spring-cleaning from hell. Why do librarians always keep so many books? Some people collect Jimmy Choo shoes, some people collect NASCAR die-cast cars, I seem to collect books. I just can't part with my favorites, especially hardcovers. Bibliomania. My main collection focus seems to be mostly YA fantasy books (Susan Cooper, Lloyd Alexander, JK Rowling, Tolkien, Gaiman) and Laurell K. Hamilton smutty/slutty/vampy/werewolfy books. I have severely downsized my cooking books at the request of USMCman, who hates having to move them every three years during our tri-annual military rotation. Hardcover cookbooks are a bitch to lift!
Do you have any book fetishes you're willing to own up to? I bet each librarian reading this has at least one book collection or another.
8 comments:
Trying to be a anal librarian and a Deadhead! I have almost every book ever published, and then there is the filing cabinet overflowing with all the newspaper and magazine articles. Posters, pictures, albums, cds, dvds, t-shirts, etc., etc. Where does it all end?
And just think someday you will have the indescribable "pleasure" of inheriting all your parents' stuff. Run screaming into the night!
Maybe next time I'll learn to hit preview first.
I can't believe your mom hauled all your "treasures" out of the basement--it is surely the end of days.
After about seven years of marriage, we received a similar collection from ArmyGuy's mom. Thanks. Three years later and I'm still finding it amongst ArmyGuy's crap at home. Yeesh. Maybe it will just disappear while he's deployed...
I used to be an obsessive book collector, but I got over it years ago. Now I don't care what format the book is in (preferably audio), just so it gets in my head. I still have a (relatively) small collection, as you know, Infomatrix. Mostly: A) Genealogy books--which I'm about ready to eBay; B) About a shelf and a half of horror/goth/movie books I will never part with; C) the same Laurell Hamilton smut books you turned me on to Infomatrix; and D) a hardcover "classics" collection that belonged to my parents--I'll never read them, but they look nice on the shelf.
Then there's ArmyGuy's collection of sci-fi/fantasy --and--yes, it's true--D&D books. Yes, he's one of THEM. Ugh. That collection has been mercifully pared down over the years. The frightening thing is--he just requested I ship the D&D collection to him in GTMO! Yeesh.
Now we just have to convert XCircMan to the idea that it's OKAY to part with some of his book collection. Come on XCircMan--let it go! We'll make some money for you on Amazon/eBay!
Yes, it surely is the end of days! The scary thing is that after I read the D&D comments, I opened another box and... LO AND BEHOLD, 22 D&D HARDCOVER BOOKS! I think the Illustrated Librarian jinxed me with her comment. Now what do I do with them? Maybe Ebay... maybe el-garbagio. Monchici, you are frightening me with the thought of going through my parents' stuff. My mother has a HORRIBLE Mme. Alexander collection. All those eyes...staring at me... eeeeek!
Well, Infomatrix, if you are so desperate to get rid of your D&D books you can always send them my way. There are several of "THEM" as TIL so carefully put it here with me. I am sure they would greatly appreciate such an incredibly thoughtful donation to the war effort.
ArmyGuy, these are the -original- D&D books--not the new, updated versions. Still interested? I would be thrilled to death to pitch the damn things...um..er...box the lovely books up and send them your way. One thing, though: YOU CAN'T GIVE THEM BACK. Bwhaaaahahaahhaha.
Yes, Infomatrix...he's still interested. Believe me.
Oh, and...thanks...yeah, and thank your mom too. Great.
Honestly though, if you shoved all those books into a nice flat rate priority mail box, ArmyGuy and his pals would roll over and kick.
Teriffic.
I have all of Graeme Base's books (thank you, Infomatrix) which I discovered inn graudate school! There was a beautiful poster hanging in our computer lab (which I threatened to steal from Infomatrix--under penalty of death I may add) I love the Titanic (I have a 1912 copyright edition of Walter Lord's book) I guess I'm another one of those anal librarians! ***sigh***
Post a Comment