Book Lists

When people find out about my book lists, I usually get one of two reactions:

1. That look people get right before they start backing away from the crazy lady.

2. They laugh and roll their eyes and say "Oh, that is SO you." Then they back away slowly from the crazy lady.

The lists started out innocently enough as an Excel spreadsheet I used to keep track of which Nora Roberts books I had read and which I wanted to read. Nana always br

ought me NRs when she visited--the findings of trips to her favorite used book store or flea markets she stopped at with Grandaddy. I probably got my book addiction from her--she too is a big fan of paperbacks.

Eventually, I stopped limiting myself to just tracking NRs and adding books that were recommended to me by friends, family etc. It was basically titles and authors, not very organized.

Then I discovered Microsoft Access. This program was invented for obsessive list keepers like me. I now have one database that houses not only book lists but also movies and music. At last count, I had 948 books on my "Books to Read" list. This list is not only titles and authors. With Access, I can also track where I can find them:

1. Kennedy Library

2. M-H Library

3. Bookins (kind of an online used bookstore/trading club)

4. My own shelves

Once I read a book, it then gets transferred to the "Books Read" list. It gets rated:

1. Good

2. Ok

3. Bad

4. Didn't finish

Aside from satisfying my one OCD compulsion, this list does create an unintentional benefit. While many of these books come from reviews and summaries I've read, once they get put on the list, I rarely remember what each is about, with the few exceptions that stand out to me. What this does is allow me to pick a book off the library shelf and dive into it. I know it came off of my list (If I'm going to Kennedy that day, I can print off a query of ONLY Kennedy books, then walk around that horribly arranged library trying to find the books on the list), so it is one I wanted to read. I don't read the jacket summary, I just start reading. I don't always know if it is a love story or a mystery or a memoir. Because I have no expectations about the characters or the plot, I can get far more involved in the story.

For example, while I love NRs for easy reading between more difficult novels, every plot line is basically the same. The entire time I'm reading, I'm putting the characters into their expected scenes:  The Meet, The Rivalry, The Big Fight, The Sex, The Second Big Fight That Causes a Separation, The Engagement, The Big Happy Family With Pregnant Main Character. It's the same in every book.

In contrast, when I picked up The Sum of Our Days by Isabel Allandre, I had no idea what it was about (a memoir of the days, weeks, years after her daughter's death). I was not anticipating the lesbian affair, the "chapel" in the woods, the Chilean conflicts. I felt real emotions that could only be felt by completely immersing myself in the lives of the characters. That connection is the reason I read, and unfortunately, it is what many poeple lack. They read the same things ove rand over and never experiment with literature.

Now, I'm not saying that you should stop reading your favorite genre. Nana still brings me NRs every time I see her. I love them. But, I alternate with one of the other 943 (I deleted a few while writing this, I discovered last week that I do NOT like John Barth's style) books on my list. Make your own list. Don't read the jacket, just dive in. Try it!

Reading currently:  Body Surfing by Anita Shreve

(And yes, I know there is a weird thing going on with my font. No idea why the top is black and bold and the bottom is normal. Does not show up like that in editing, not sure how to get rid of it.)

VACATION!!

Short post tonight, just let you know that I'm going to be away from my computer next week. I may think up a post in the next few days if you're lucky, but Sunday J. and I are outta here! Headed to North Carolina to visit my cousin and her husband and new baby daughter (last year when we visited K. was VERY pregnant). Then staying a couple of nights in a cabin near Gatlinburg. I'm so excited about that.

This trip was actually supposed to be to New Orleans, my favorite city (that I've ever visted), for our honeymoon. We were going to stay at the Place D'Armes and eat at fancy restaurants. Sigh. We probably could have still gone but it would have meant sacrificing a big portion of the money we are saving for a house. Double sigh.

J. happened to get 2 extra days off of work than we were expecting, so we decided to splurge a little (not nearly as much as NOLA though) on a fancy cabin in the woods, as a second half to our minimoon in October (had a cabin in Brown County).

Anybody have any suggestions on where to eat in Gatlinburg? We've never been, so I'm not sure what is good and what is too touristy. Also, has anyone been to the winery just outside of town? 

PS...I just noticed how often I use parentheses for little side comments. I guess I blog the way I talk, I'm always interjecting explainations and such into my spoken thoughts. Hm.

Just finished:  Richard Murphy, Confessions of a Contractor--funny, easy read. Very entertaining, especially if you are in anyway connected to some sort of home trade (plumbing, electrical, carpentry)

Next up:  Anita Shreve, Body Surfing

Chirp, Chirp!

Guess what guys! I'm so done with school! That's right, I made it to graduation! Ok, enough with the exclamation points. Geez.

Still, I'm super excited that school is finally over. Everyone tells me that I'll miss college. Nope. I am hanging up my bookbag for good. I hated school, and I'm thrilled its over.

Some of you know that there has been a lot of turmoil going on at work. Long story short, it was not sure if I was going to get the promotion that I had counted on. But, I got it! I officially started my new position today (which really, isn't that different from what I was already doing, but should be less night time work), although my real schedule change won't happen until after my vacation next week.

So what am I going to do now that I don't have a full time school schedule? I'm going to bury myself into my books! Wait, that doesn't make much sense does it? If you know me at all, you know that there is nothing I love more in this world than fiction. Usually I read a book every day or two. Lately, though, it has taken me at least a month to finish one book!  That's ridiculous! I will never get through my reading list at that pace (although, even at a book a day it would still take forever. I have upwards of 900 books on an Access database). I'll try to keep you guys up to date on what I'm reading, not so sure if I'll do reviews or not.

I just finished The Shunning by Beverly Lewis, it was fantastic. Easy read but a lot of controversial issues, and it definitely made me grateful for the life I live.

Next up, Chimera by John Barth. To be honest, I have no idea what it's about. 

Stuff

We watched The Story of Stuff in my Life Management class today. If you haven't watched it yet, I encourage you to click the link and check it out. It's about 20 minutes long, but very fast paced and really interesting. It discusses how our materialistic world got started and how it's affecting our Earth.

This got me thinking. I have geek lust for the new Kindle 2. It's an electronic device that's about the size of a piece of paper, and the thickness of a pencil. It's a method of reading ebooks, newspapers, newsfeeds, etc. But my question is, which is worse for our environment, paper books, or electronic devices like the Kindle? On one hand, trees have to be chopped down to make the paper for old school, printed books. On the other, how many resources are used to make disposable plastic and silicone-based electronic devices?

Something that really stressed me out about this video is that 99% of the things we buy are thrown away within 6 months, because of planned and perceived obsolescence.

Just something to think about today.

A Word about Libraries

With most libraries, I can walk in, take a quick survey of the layout, and then spend hours perusing the shelves packed with novels, biographies, parperbacks, hardcovers. In a public library, the shelves are stuffed. The organization is clear, set out in the careful Dewey Decimal system we learned in the 4th grade. If you are lookng for something specific, it's so easy to find. If you want to browse, there are thousands of books of all subjects to look through, each in their own sections:  Fiction, Nonfiction, Research, Young Adult, Children's, Large Print Fiction, etc. There are comfy chairs in quiet, musty corners. That's a big point--it's quiet. People who frequent public libraries usually have enough respsect to turn the volume off on their cell phones, and no better than to talk loudly about their latest sexual encounter.

I'm a senior now, and still I have never felt comfortable in Ball State's library. In fact, today was the first time I even checked out a book here. I never know where to find anything--that's the biggest problem. I hate the way Brackin is set up. It makes absolutely no sense. Best Sellers are easy enough to find, but that is such a small collection of fiction. I looked up one book on CardCat, it's call number was PQ8098.1 L54 Z46 2008. What does that even mean? Where do I even start to look for it? Brackin is not a browsing library. I can go and print off my homework, or meet for group projects, but it has never really felt like a library to me. It's so noisy. Even on the 4th floor--the "quiet study area"--there is no escape. Phones ring, girls giggle, and boys, well they are just boys. Those of us who actually are there to study or read are too distracted.

Oh, the brightly covered arm chairs and up-to-date computer systems may be exactly what most students are looking for. Maybe I'm just old school. I've even noticed that my library at home has been seriously updated, even adding a hip-looking coffee shop. But I like the musty, dim-lighted corners. I miss finding something new in shelves that I've looked through hundreds of times. I think on my next day off I'm going to get a card to the Muncie Library.

Photo from here.