Day 5: Collection

Day 5: What do you collect? Work with a collection of objects you have in your home (or borrow a friend’s if you like).

I wish I could say I collect something really awesome, like I have this extensive collection of vinyl records or spoons or something, but I don’t. I have a ton of wheat pennies, but I’m not sure where they went… They’re not even in a case for coin collecting, just one of those Band-aid gum containers (the metal ones, if you don’t know what I’m talking about, it has nothing to do with Band-aids and there’s no gum in it now).

Anyway, so since I don’t collect anything great, I’ll confess what I do collect: books and journals. I know it’s shocking. Someone once asked what my vice is: do I smoke, or drink, or what? I do curse, but I’d have to say books are my weakness. If I only had $5 to my name, until another paycheck, I’d buy ramen for the week and use the rest on a book. Well, I’m trying to get better about that, but it has been known to happen. I also have a ton of journals that I haven’t actually used. I love blank paper because it’s so full of opportunity.

I know, everything could just be typed, but I write better when I have to put it on paper first. I also know that all my books could be on a Kindle (which I own) or a Nook (which I promote as part of my job). But I fall into the category of people who could never imagine a world without actual books. It would be a sad state to say the least. I would rather read a hard copy of a book, but also, you can’t buy an e-book used. The prices don’t really drop until it becomes a classic. After taking 6 books with me on a trip, though, I did think that maybe it would be more space efficient to use the Kindle. I guess it’s just too bad I’m not efficient.

When I said that I had to confess this, though, I didn’t mean I’m ashamed that I read a lot. I think anyone who’s met me knows that about me within a few minutes. I just feel bad that I try to recycle when I can and yet I’m using up a lot of paper with books, journals, whatnot. My defense: I’m saving these books from being wasted and thrown in the garbage. So basically, my keeping books forever = saving the planet. Ok, so maybe not, but I will commit to never throwing a book away!

Have a super, fantastic, great day!