Bookaholics Anonymous

I'm going on a plan to not buy any books for the next month. I've abstained from purchasing books for maybe a week or two - the last was the BIN for the used books. The test may be this weekend, since sis wants to head to Kinokuniya .. although I'm thinking of scrapping it. I don't need any more books, do I? Or maybe I'll test myself and bring her there but don't buy any books of my own - I have *never* gone into a bookstore and not bought anything .. that's pretty horrible.

The plan on starting this in March-April was because I wanted to finish all the "unreads" I had on my bookshelf. It was not done so that I would now have maybe 2x or 3x the quantity of "unreads" I have to get through. Granted, I have read a lot recreationally more than I ever have since secondary school or university, but that isn't quite the point. You cannot whittle down a mountain when you keep adding stone blocks to it!

The goal for now is to quit buying books until the end of the year. The only ones I should ever have are the ones on my wishlist - the graphic novels that are coming out and are major *must haves* can be delayed until after December (or maybe until a price drop .. RM 68 for Pride of Baghdad! Eeek, way too much for a graphic novel). No new books, no new authors, no "must-read classics" that I feel like I must read right now (but in the end defer reading since they're mostly boring). The only thing I would be interested in getting is the rest of Rememberance of Things Past - and I've already decided that I'll go with the not-so-pretty pubs because they are still the same words (same new translation as well). That would be worth it. Purchases via cash are okay i.e. used books - to a limit of course, which I'll set at RM 50 per month (one can get 4 or so good books with this).

The major goal right now is to see how much I can read (of that mountain I have) in these next 9 weeks before the end of the year. 9 x 3 = 27 books? Can it be done? We'll see.

Right now I have to get through Never Let Me Go - which should be a cakewalk but like I said, I find it so problematic (in grabbing my attention to pick it up to continue). It's been a week or two in the works already. Reading time .. barely minutes ..

The used books I ordered arrived last Friday but because of the long weekend, my dad could only pick it up this morning. It's pretty cool that the courier depot is only a few roads away - despite us being in some sort of boonies. Those books will be quick - although it's unfortunate that I don't have Part 1 of the Emily trilogy. I'm looking forward to more Banana Yoshimoto, although .. oops .. that means I can't get the rest any more (because of the plan).

Must be good 'til January 2007. It's going to be a difficult NINE weeks!