Friday, June 5, 2009

So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around?

Um, this is embarrassing. My (very) brief hiatus actually starts today. I'm not going to lie to you. I thought yesterday was Friday when I posted this. I am not what they call, oh what's the word, SMART.

Last night was the best night. I finished The Color Purple (which I hadn't read since high school) and the stupid thing made me cry so I had to put it in the freezer. Then I had a quesadilla for dinner (for the second night in a row) and it was effing delicious. Then I read some more. I read SO MUCH, it was magical.

I thought about getting my hair cut last night, before Myrtle Beach, but I decided not to because my hair is going to get all sandy and oceany and beach-crazy ANYWAY so why bother? Instead, I decided to go to the library. We moved sort of far from the library I used to go to, and the new one is in a different branch of libraries, so I had to get a new card. As I was signing up, the librarian lady was all, "did you want to check books out today?" and I was like, "um, duh," and she said I could only get two books! TWO BOOKS?! I'd wanted to get books books to take on vacation and to read at the airport and TWO BOOKS WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH! I took five books to Philadelphia with me, knowing I'd only have time to read at the airport and on the plane, but I took so many because I wasn't sure what I'd want to read.

Anyway. While she was explaining where all the books were, I wanted to yell, "I CAN FIND IT MYSELF," because if there's anything I hate, it's unsolicited help. Although, I never really ask for help, so all help I receive is unsolicited. AND THEN. Some lady who was checking out a bunch of books at the self-check out (sidenote: how awesome is it that libraries are getting self-checkout?) butted into the conversation.

Lady: This is a great library!
Me: OK . . .
Lady: They're all so helpful here. And did you know? You can even get online and pay your fines and request books and look up to see if the book you want is available! You'll just need a password. And if you need to look up a book while you're here, they have computers everywhere that you can use.

I just nodded and smiled, even though I thought about shouting, "I'M FAMILIAR WITH HOW LIBRARIES WORK, LADY, I USED TO WORK AT ONE AND OH MY GOD DO YOU EVEN WORK HERE BLAAAARRRRG." Instead, I just inched away slowly (she was a close-talker) and she transferred her attention to the librarian.

Have you ever tried to pick out ONLY two books? I always end up getting more than I can read in two weeks, but this two-book-minimum was being cruelly enforced, so I had no choice but to cut back on my Book Crazy. I wandered around non-fiction but nothing jumped out at me (That would be weird, right? If books jumped off the shelves?), so I headed over to fiction. While standing at New Fiction, I pulled no fewer than seven books off the shelves and clutched them in my greedy arms until I could decide on just two. I ended up putting all but City of Thieves back, because Heather! Anne! had just given it a glowing review on Goodreads (she mentioned Salinger, which is pretty much all I needed to hear). Then I walked over to Old Fiction (just called Fiction, actually) and picked both Postcards from the Edge (by Princess Leia) and I Am Legend. I decided on I Am Legend because I am super curious about the ending (I guess it's different than the movie) and did you know the book is about vampires, not zombies? I did not know that. I decided to get it, even though Twilight is ruining all the goodwill for vampires that Joss Whedon created. Stupid Twilight. Anyway, I read a bunch of I Am Legend last night and it made me all anxious and then gave me nightmares. If that's not a sign of a good horror novel, I don't know what is.

(hiatus starts . . . NOW)

4 comments:

You can call me, 'Sir' said...

I've heard that the ending to the book version of I am Legend is a couple thousand times better and more satisfying than the movie's version. Having never seen the movie, nor read the book, I can't confirm anything, but reading is always rewarding in and of itself, so whatever.

Um...why did I comment?

Tam said...

you were supposed to save those TWO books for vacation -why would you go all reading them and stuff before you leave.

I would say you can borrow some of my books - but they ARE ALL CHICK LIT.

And well, we all know how you feel about that.

Again... BYE!

Jennie said...

Sir, um, because you're awesome?

Tam, I have LOADS of other books I can take. I'm not sure why I felt the need to go to the library. Also! I do like some chick lit (if it's good), I just don't like the term "chick lit."

Stephanie said...

I haven't read "The Color Purple" since high school, either. I keep meaning to reread (re-read?) it.

And yeah, I really don't like when people try to help me in libraries. Especially strange random, non-worker people.