What's With All The Dust?

I have not been updating. Sad, yes. True, absolutely. I've been busy with shake-ups, shake-downs, shake-arounds, and, well, Life. And before I launch into what is probably going to be a steady two months of posting before I go on another hiatus, I would like to say a few things to clear up any confusion.

1. This blog is no longer affiliated with Old Editions Bookshop. As of right now I am still the manager of said shop, but this is only until my own store opens. You may look me (and my lovely associates) up online under the heading SpeakEasyBooks. Currently, we have an Amazon store and an eBay presence. All purchases made help fund our eventual brick and mortar shop. When that store opens this blog will hopefully revert back to a smattering of "weird things found in books." Until then, you're going to have to put up with my weird stories.

2. I am an artist, and I am (something of) a writer. For years my friends have been telling me to combine these two things and create a web comic. I am still undecided in this endeavor; however, I have been going through some of my old sketch journals, and I've selected a few stories that I am probably going to adapt in some fashion or another. Most of these stories revolving around dating. I think this will be a perfect place to hammer out some ideas.

3. That's it. I just wanted to use a number format.

Huzzah!

No Pool Needed

"Marco!" 

There are many things that make me cringe, but where do I go to get them all in one place? The internet, duh. Just check out any YouTube comment thread. They're just loaded with great anecdotes. And if you still haven't had your fill of poorly-typed letter/number combinations passing themselves off as words, I recommend Yahoo Answers. You'll read a couple then hit yourself. As I did after looking up "who came up with the idea for Marco Polo the game?"

Fun in the (Presence of) Sun

Being in a movie is fun. Rehearsal is fun. Taking an online History of Women in Sports class is fun. Work is fun. Art is fun. Life is...

Wait for it.

I've been keeping myself busy. I've quickly learned that Summer is not the time to overload yourself with activities--extracurricular and the like; although, I hear those same words come out of my mouth every year at this time, and they fail to sink in. "Summer is for vacationing. Summer is for fun." Fun, for everyone's favorite Lonely Bookman, is welcoming the chaos of multiple projects. My mind works better when it's rolling around in four-to-five schools of thought. It keeps things active, fresh. Plus, imagine complaining to friends that you're too popular and sought after? Right, right. I get it. No such thing.

I haven't found anything incredibly interesting lately. Lots of grocery lists, lots of blank paper. I have been overrun with books that are falling apart, which equals ideas for book-related, art projects. I am a sucker for an easily manipulated picture.

Maybe they called him 'Silent Cal' because he had trouble with our language?

This summer, posting will be sporadic. I'll be tending to the aforementioned whilst trying desperately to reconnect with old friends. My hope is that by the end of August you and I will both have incredible stories to tell and finished projects we can talk about/enjoy for the remainder of 2012. So go to the beach, read a ton of books, paint a picture, adopt a pet, join a club, take up a sport, check out a couple concerts, relax...

Just have fun. However you define it.

Summer Vacation

         "Uh, nothing much. Just hung out with some of my friends."

A 140 Character, New World

"...and when she was all, like, 'Hey, no! No need to worry. I'm just 'tweeting' with some friends.' I let it go, by Crom, I let it go. And why? Because she was my Bilberry, that's why. Then one day this little bluebird shows up with a letter in its beak that reads: 'Leif im sry but um br8king up wit U.' Can you believe that? I think I'd find the technology more incredible if my ass didn't just get dumped."

The Great Summer Reading List

Ah, Summer, what strange tidings you bring. Inappropriate clothing choices, sandals (which I just bought), and vacations. Oh, and let us not forget The Summer Reading List: that epic, publishing house-inspired showcase of titles guaranteed to give you something to talk about well into the winter months. You might suspect that because I work within a warehouse of classic books, I am immune to these kinds of lists but that isn't the case. I'm as much a sucker as the next nerd, but I can't complain. The whole world told me to read The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and Into The Woods and the whole world had a point.
     This year, however, will be different. I've decided to start--what I'm charmingly referring to as--my "Alpha Beta Book List." What is the Alpha Beta? It's simple. I begin by choosing a work of fiction from an author whose last name begins with A. When I've finished, I then chose an author whose last name begins with B and so on and so forth. My goal is to complete the alphabet by the end of the summer.
     I've been reading a lot of nonfiction lately, so I'm going to restrict my choices to novels and plays. Graphic novels and comic trade will not count towards the list for one reason only: I read those all the time and I can't imagine going a couple months without. Plus, they're so quick. And wonderful. And imaginative. And...oh, yes, getting back to the list...Once a book has been read, I will mark it so at the bottom of the blog in my "Books Read" section. Please feel free to start your own Alpha Beta or tell me what's on your list for the summer.

The first book has already been read: Douglas Adams' A Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy and what an enjoyable read it was. I must confess to having seen the movie before I read the book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it anyway. Sam Rockwell's Zaphod Beeblebrox is quite remarkable.

"Cool? You bet. But The Lonely Bookman's got me beat."

An Entry For The Readers of Tomorrow!

People love to add annotations to their books: it cements the "see, see, these books are mine and I've read them!" quality to a fine collection. These quotes usually revolve around the story, but in my searching I've found passages that explain the day, the surroundings, who the reader was with when they finished the story, etc. They're one-line, journal entries that are purely esoteric, and I'm guilty of this myself.
     Some customers are put off by this, and I can understand why: if you buy a collectible book at a collectible price, the book should be in collectible condition. It's a kick to both hemispheres of the brain to approach a sought after book--one that looks amazing--only to open it and find "Wally finally got over being sick two days before we got to the beach." Exception are made, of course, if the side notes are penned by someone of note.
     I enjoy finding annotations in non-collectible copies of books (they're called "reading" copies in bookese) because it makes sifting through book after book more interesting; Annotations add an additional story to something that's already a story. "This book existed before you picked it up. It's got history, man. This book has been places." In giving the book an added legacy like a set of emotions, we get to use the phrase "pathetic fallacy"when describing it, and why would you not want to use the word "pathetic fallacy?" If I were seventeen and emo was still cool and/or relevant, I would start a band with that name. "My guitar would shout* misplaced teen-angst unto the world."
   

Today's find is more of journal entry than a quote, and like an entry it's both personal and oddly entertaining. The previous owner describes the setting where the book was presented to him, the conversation that prompted the meeting, and even the weather. 

*Yet another example of pathetic fallacy.