The Great Book Sort

I had one full book self in my room and six file boxes of books in the attic. My mom has told me again and again to get them out and, needing something to do on a rainy afternoon, I decided to tackle the project.

I have spent two nights on my floor surrounded by piles - sorting, reading, and treasure hunting - and am happy to report that I have exactly 250 books (not counting several old lab manuals and physics text books). Of these I will donate or sell at least 143 and I will definitely keep 37. And the remaining 70... I will spend the next several days with them trying to make up my mind.

In my adventure through the book pile, I found several treasures! I have...

- a flattened tangle of string,

- several book marks,

- two and a half boarding passes,

- a copied passage from a Midsummer Nights Dream (not found in said book),

- a silly printed out quiz about sex,

- a silly printed out quiz about religion,

- 3 doodles (and many more on the pages of books),

- a packing slip,

- two Polaroids of windmills,

- a black and white photo I took of myself,

- two goofy pictures of Laura and I after we put a face on her boat,

- a 2007 ticket stub from the Sears Tower Skydeck (where I am pretty sure I have never been),

- an awkward picture of Sam Begich and I going to our first high school dance,

- a packing slip,

- a really silly journal entry from 1999 about my big crush on Tom Rodda,

- a Peanut's cartoon,

- and a post card with a badly drawn volcano that says, "Don't touch the volcano -it's hot."

My conclusion, after 2 days of this... I am in love with my books and find it heart breaking to get rid of them. I love how they smell, how they feel in my hands, and how the older ones that I've read over and over feel so familiar. But, hopefully this will give some other people the opportunity to read some great books and give my books a chance to get some real love instead of being loved from afar as they sit in a box.

Now to tackle the maybe stacks!