Wednesday, January 23, 2013

A Funny Thing Happened

I WROTE A Blog post recently, and then I lost it. Seriously, I wrote this whole thing, then I don't know where it is. It was pretty long, and I tried really hard to not have typos and stuff, and I don't know what happened. I'm really upset about it, it was a lot of work.

The thing is, I was going to post it today. Now, not so much. Oh well, I now work on about three computers on a daily basis and I might have just written it on another one and I don't feel like going and looking for it now. Rest assured, it was awesome.

Shoot, now that I said that I can never post it. Once people read it they'll think, this is what he said is awesome? So forget I said anything about that. Let's start over.

I won't miss you. But I'll miss enjoying you.
I'VE FINALLY COME to the point where I no longer want fish tacos. I had some today and really didn't enjoy it. I'm afraid that part of my life has come to a close.

There was a time that I hated them, then later, when I loved them. Now, they're just part of my past.

AND I COMPLAIN SOMETIMES about my tbr pile. I figured I might as well just show you.

I'm not reading the folders on the bottom right.
Yes, except for to of those books, which I've already read but want to keep nearby for quick access, they are all things I am planning on reading in the next year or two. Some of them have been there since before Border's went under. Obviously, this doesn't include my ebooks that I intend to read in the months ahead, nor does it include items that get bumped to the head of the line when released (Like new installments of The Dresden Files books, or anything by Alastair Reynolds).

I plan on culling this pile some in the coming months though, some books seemed awesome to me at one time, but when I look at them now I think I might have picked up some marginal items. I read 60 books or so in 2012, and the thought has occurred to me that if I read at a similar pace for the next 50 years then I might have 3000 books left in me to read.

That seems like a lot at first mention, but I think the number is pretty small really. I have to start being more choosy about what I read - quit something when I know it isn't working for me or quit putting off things I really want to read.


25 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Sorry about the missing post. Between work and home, I have about five computers I work on, but I only compose blog posts on one.
The stack of books on my iPad looks like that. In your books read, did you count critiquing mine? And will you count it when you read it again in its complete form?

Cindy said...

I have a shelf at home that looks just like that. That picture of the fish toco made me smile. :)

vic caswell said...

aw jiminey! losing all that work.
ugh.
i've never had a fish taco. hmm..

DRC said...

Nope, never had a fish taco either. Doesn't appeal to me. your book mountain, however...I have a cupboard that's in similar disarray...lol

mooderino said...

So you've outgrown the fish taco. Now you are a man.

TBR piles have become much more manageable on my Kindle. Out of sight, out of mind...

PT Dilloway said...

There's just not enough time to read all the books. If only there were a nuclear holocaust like in that Twilight Zone episode...so long as I bring some extra glasses.

Deborah Walker said...

My tbr pile is also overwhelming. That hasn't stopped my buying six new books from Amazon today.

Tonja said...

We have at least one large shelf in every bedroom. I cleaned mine this weekend and moved the excess to one of my kids' rooms. I had to double up the stacks. I long for the day I can buy a house with a room that has built-in shelves in every room.

I wish I had read that much this year. I did take in an extraordinary amount of NCIS and Law and Order Criminal Intent - all old episodes. Why?!

M.J. Fifield said...

I think 3000 is pretty small too. I am now paranoid that I might only have 3000 books left in me to read.

I'm going to have to quit my job so I can read more books.

Andrew Leon said...

I think my stack is bigger, but, then, some of my books that are stacked like that have been in that pile for 20 years. I did, actually, get rid of a few of them when we moved, books I decided I really will just never read.
I want to be like that guy that read, what was it, something like 5000 books last year. I could get caught up that way and start fresh.

Andrew Leon said...

Oh, and find your post!

Nicole said...

Bummer about your post, but it gave us a chance to get a look at your crazy TBR pile. Good luck!

Tony Laplume said...

I keep a whole reading list, which is currently at 70+ (I don't read nearly as many books a year as you do), but otherwise I've got piles of books that I sometimes wonder if I will ever read. Probably a good long time from when I got them...

M Pax said...

Hope you find your post. At least your TBR is on shelves. Mine is a pile in the corner there... staring at me. Then there's the other pile on my Nook. But it's fun, especially now that many of the titles are written by folks I know.

Jo said...

I just got hold of Cold Days, a Dresden files book. Am about to start it today.

The only place I have a tbr is on my Kindle. I use the library a lot.

Sorry about your lost blog, frustrating to say the least.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

Yep. We gots to start being choosy about what we read. I guess that's how it is with readers. Not enough time.

Sheena-kay Graham said...

I have a few print novels to read. My ebook stack is what's insane. Hundreds, seriously. And over a hundred that I should've read already for very specific reasons. Best of luck with your TBR pile and fish tacos will still be there if you like them again. I think.

dolorah said...

60 books in 2012? I'm not sure I've read that many in 5 years.

My family thinks I have too many books. I look at my stacks of paper books, and think of my e-books, and my first thought is that I'll never be bored :)

......dhole

Brinda said...

I think my pile beats your pile. :)

Briane said...

Well, one thing's for sure. People who make fish tacos need not worry about them being replaced by electronic versions.

Or do they?

I'm not feeling well today so I'll be brief. But your post made me laugh and then feel overwhelmed by your reading.

Electronic fish tacos. That might be a thing.

Andrew Leon said...

@Briane: If electronic cigarettes can be a thing, and I am completely baffled by that entire concept, then I don't see why there can't be e-tacos, too.

Unknown said...

Ha! I was just browsing around the blog world and came across yours. I'm glad I did! This is great! Down with fish tacos! I've actually never ate one, but I can't say I feel like I'm missing out. You just reaffirmed my choice to stay away from them,with your icky pic and all, so thanks loads! :P

Rusty Carl said...

@Alex - I did not count reading yours, I will count it next time when the book is released though. But critiquing is a different beast I think, you are looking for flaws that you might ignore when you read for fun.

@Cindy - thanks, I made it for a post some time last year and thought the photo was too good not to reuse.

@Vic - done well, they are surprisingly yummy, just look at the picture! Yum.

@DRC - I went to a garage sale recently that had about 200 books for sale, the person selling them refused to attend the sale though, because he was too distraught to see them go... don't know why your comment made me think of that, but it did.

@Mooderino - I've also outgrown most veggies and other healthy foods, I hope that makes me a double man or something.

@PT - with Twinkies gone, I'm not sure what I'd eat though.

@Deborah - I do that too, I'll lament about all the books I have to read then go buy several to add to it... I've got some sort of hangup there that sounds like you might share.

@Tonja - I don't know if I can explain my television habits either. I'll ofter reflect and think, I spent 120 hours watching that?!! It's a mystery.

@MJ - Yes, although my desire to read fancy hardbacks and leather bound editions makes me think I'd have to do something for money. And don't say writing, I'm not so sure that's going to be very financially viable for me. I'll still dream though.

@Andrew - I didn't start my pile until about two years ago. It was quite by accident too. I used to never plan on what I was going to read next until I'd finished my previous book. I love browsing for a book almost as much as I love reading them (browsing electronically is not nearly as much fun though). I think that contributes as much to the pile as anything.

@Nicole - thanks! I found it and posted it on Friday.

@Tony - It makes me sad, I often dreamed of being able to download the memory of reading a book without having to actually read it. Wow. It sounds so stupid when I write it out like that.

@MPax - I brought the shelf in because the dogs seem to like anything that sits lose on the floor, I suppose they consider that fair game.

@Jo - I finished Cold Days a few weeks ago, liked it much better than Ghost Story. And I used to do the Library a lot, but every couple of years I seem to keep rereading the same books after I'd forget that I'd read them already. I decided that having a book on my shelf would keep me from making that mistake again. However, I have had the two copies of the same book appear in my tbr pile before, I guess my system isn't perfect.

@Michael - quite sad, I think.

@Sheena - I don't have that many, but I do have probably a few dozen ebooks to read too. It's not a good feeling, especially when for every book you read, several more get added.

@Donna - I remember when 60 books might have been over 4 months... I've slowed down quite a bit over the years, the pressures of being a grownup.

@Brinda - it's not a competition... but... dammit.

@Briane and @Andrew - I know someone that does the e-cigarrettes, apparently they do deliver some nicotine into the user who uses them, or something like that... so I think the e-fish taco would do something similar... inject the fish smell into your nostrils everytime you got the urge to eat. Brilliant!

@Celeste - thanks for stopping by. I am no longer recommending them to anyone. My brief walk on the wild side is over.

Jo said...

Rusty, my library keeps a list of what their patrons have read which is accessible on line. Very useful.

Andrew Leon said...

I'm not allowed into book stores so much anymore. I get this look when I say I want to go to one, and my wife says, "Is there actually a book you need to go get?" If I don't have a "yes" and a name of the book, then we don't go, because I'll come out with something if I go in one. Something will just go on a stack somewhere.

I can sort see the e-taco thing if it's based on smell. The Japanese have been working on these little devices that emit odors for movie theaters and stuff to more fully immerse you, so I could see something like that on a computer. Except I don't see it doing more than just making you hungry.
However, I don't understand the cigarette thing. What does it do, have your computer stab you with a nicotine injection?