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Audience
Six weeks ago there were twenty-two books in my "to read" pile. Now, there are only ten :-) I aimed to reduce the size by one-third and wound up cutting it in half. I am very proud of myself. Sure, most of the books I read fell somewhere between "eh" and "please shoot me now" on the enjoyablity scale, but I accomplished what I set out to do so, really, who cares?
The best book from the pile: A Mercy by Toni Morrison
The worst book from the pile: The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Shadow Souls by L.J. Smith
Now I have a small mountain of books I need to get rid of. I only have enough shelf space in my apartment to accomadate about five hundred. That may seem like a lot, but for a voracious reader like myself that's tiny. Since I can only afford to keep the books I really, really, REALLY love, I'm constantly weeding my collection, tossing books that have failed to leave a lasting impression on me. The current batch mainly consists of romance novels left over from my exploration of the genre, and old new age books I no longer want. I'd post a book grab entry like I used to in the old days but most of these books are so bad there is no way I'd pawn them off on people I like. So, I'm joining all the various book swap websites and seeing if I can pawn them off on strangers. I've been a member of chancexchange for years, and last night I joined Paperback Swap. If I can't move all my books through those channels I'll join Book Mooch and Bookins. And, if all else fails, there is always ReLITNY.
Changing topics, I realized something today. Of the forty-six people on my LJ friends list only thirteen of them still update on a regular basis. The rest have either stopped journaling or they only update, like, once a year. I used to get at least five comments for every entry I posted. These days I'm lucky to get one or two. That is partially my fault. Having filtered and privatized most of my entries I'm not generating much public content, and to most passing visitors it probably looks like my journal has gone dead. I can't generate interest if I'm not posting anything. Not that I plan on changing my posting habits. I'm just saying.
But I miss the community of friends I used to have out here. I miss the conversation. I wish they'd return, but I suppose they've outgrown LJ. It no longer serves their needs. I started keeping on online journal so I'd have a reason to write everyday. I hoped that having an audience would encourage me to do so, and it did. But now, more often than not, I find myself talking to myself out here. And even though there are times when that's exactly what I want to do, there are other times when I want interaction. How do you sustain a public writing practice when you have no audience?
The best book from the pile: A Mercy by Toni Morrison
The worst book from the pile: The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Shadow Souls by L.J. Smith
Now I have a small mountain of books I need to get rid of. I only have enough shelf space in my apartment to accomadate about five hundred. That may seem like a lot, but for a voracious reader like myself that's tiny. Since I can only afford to keep the books I really, really, REALLY love, I'm constantly weeding my collection, tossing books that have failed to leave a lasting impression on me. The current batch mainly consists of romance novels left over from my exploration of the genre, and old new age books I no longer want. I'd post a book grab entry like I used to in the old days but most of these books are so bad there is no way I'd pawn them off on people I like. So, I'm joining all the various book swap websites and seeing if I can pawn them off on strangers. I've been a member of chancexchange for years, and last night I joined Paperback Swap. If I can't move all my books through those channels I'll join Book Mooch and Bookins. And, if all else fails, there is always ReLITNY.
Changing topics, I realized something today. Of the forty-six people on my LJ friends list only thirteen of them still update on a regular basis. The rest have either stopped journaling or they only update, like, once a year. I used to get at least five comments for every entry I posted. These days I'm lucky to get one or two. That is partially my fault. Having filtered and privatized most of my entries I'm not generating much public content, and to most passing visitors it probably looks like my journal has gone dead. I can't generate interest if I'm not posting anything. Not that I plan on changing my posting habits. I'm just saying.
But I miss the community of friends I used to have out here. I miss the conversation. I wish they'd return, but I suppose they've outgrown LJ. It no longer serves their needs. I started keeping on online journal so I'd have a reason to write everyday. I hoped that having an audience would encourage me to do so, and it did. But now, more often than not, I find myself talking to myself out here. And even though there are times when that's exactly what I want to do, there are other times when I want interaction. How do you sustain a public writing practice when you have no audience?
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barf. barf. barf!
That was the conclusion I came to as well. Fantasy fiction? Pretty good. Science Fiction? Pretty good. Romance? Not so much. Most sound like they were written by a Barbie doll.
I'd love to donate my books, but the nearest thrift store or library branch that will accept donations is an hour train ride from my house. It's just more convenient to hoist them upon strangers on the internet.
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ack!
the retirement home we donated books to (years ago) is only 5 blocks from the house! Lol! I later worked there.
Do any of the thrift stores do pickups? Some do, some don't.
Nowdays we tend to just put stuff out for free in the parking strip. It's just easier. And that way it goes directly to someone who'll use it.
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"North Bronx."
DA BRONX!!!!
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If you don't mind my asking, where do you live?
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I live in the Ocean!
OH you mean IN REALITY and not IN MY HEAD.
Oregon!!! same state as fellow CF-er msmelharmon lives in! :D
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In my head I live in seven million dollar duplex overlooking Central Park West! If I close my eyes and block out the ever present sound of car alarms I can almost believe I'm living the dream.
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"Said Oregon was a lovely state."
it's true! except for all the hippies!
"In my head I live in seven million dollar duplex overlooking Central Park West!"
In my head I live in a castle surrounded by a piranha-filled moat!
"car alarms "
OH FUCK I HATE THOSE.
all they do is make a HORRID sound and add to the noise of the city. it's not like anyone actually CALLS the cops when one goes off! they're a bigger irritant than they are a theft deterrent device!
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Dude, the other day I heard a mockingbird imitating the sound of a car alarm! I shit you not! My boss happens to be a bird enthusiast so I mentioned it to him, and he said, "Oh yeah, mockingbirds will imitate any sound they hear regularly even if it isn't a bird call."
So now I have to deal with car alarms AND bird that sound like car alarms!
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O.o
humans are a BAD influence on animals!