the library

So these days when I find myself with a lot of time on my hands I have been escaping to none other than Borders bookstore. I pay my $1.50 for my black iced tea which is a little too expensive if you ask me, but in exchange I have access to all the new magazines I can handle plus enough books to keep me occupied for most of the year. Be it Ms., the feminist news magazine I have recently taken a liking to, or The Fader, the only real magazine I use to know what I should be listening to, or even books based on New Journalism or the fallen activist Che, I can spend hours in this store all for the price of $1.50.

So whatever happened to libraries? Well to be honest I haven't really set foot in one since college and only then because I worked there. However, everything I learned in the past about libraries is that they rarely ever have the books I'm looking for or the variety of magazines I need (yes need).

As a child the library was my home away from home. I was one of those kids who never did anything wrong. I remember reading a dictionary from cover to cover in the span of one of my mother's bowling nights. Granted it was a kids' dictionary, but really who does that? I joined the library club as soon as I was old enough to read, which for me was about 3 or 4. I would go there to play chess, to give my old books to kids who didn't have enough money for books of their own, and to relax. The only real time I remember getting in trouble was when I ran away to go the library when I was 7.

In adolescence I stopped reading as much, but that didn't stop me from going to the only place I really felt comfortable in my small hometown. I would go there with friends to chat and play tag, which usually got us kicked out, but since I was basically a VIP we were always allowed back. My freshman year in high school me and my best friend were ordered not to see each other for a week because we locked her door and ran away to the library when we were supposed to be cleaning up her room.

I suppose in high school I moved on a bit from my love for reading and started finding other hobbies to occupy my time. I made real friends, produced the school TV show, and started working. And then in college what other job should I get but working in a library.

So after moving away from home to New York City the one place I took comfort in was a bookstore. The world's best bookstore is in that city. Strand is huge and if you haven't been there you better go. Cheap books and just about anything you want. Walking into that store is overwhelming and unbelievable and you truly realize how much of a dork you really are. But unfortunately I couldn't read there, just buy. So off to Borders I went.

So am I trying to say we should all go to Borders for our books. No, not really. I actually want to find an independent bookstore where I could feel comfortable reading for as long as I want, but then still feel good about purchasing a book from the store if I'd like. But my real dream would be to find a nice library where I can find books that I need as well as all of the new magazines that I love to read, but can't buy. Then I could put that $1.50 towards me not just reading about things in the world that interest me, but doing something about them as well.

New Year's Resolutions

are pretty pointless. However, I've decided there are a few things I need to do in the near future. Some of them can be found in this Gloria Steinem article. Others include finishing my business cards, filing my taxes, buying a new pair of headphones, trying to enroll in classes, and taking a dance class.

Oh and to have many many more of nights like these:

Sorry Thom, I hope you miss the Pyrex as much as I do.

send in the troops

Over 100 people were killed in Baghdad today. We seem to be helping, let's send in more troops....





Katie Couric says more American women are single than married. She blames it on this lady.



I blame it on everything else.