Bookswim

Because I have not been able to hop right into my new digs and begin living as the New Jersian and NYC commuter that I now am, I have had a few things pop up as problematic. Trust me, a permanent address takes you far in this world, and the absence of one can be pretty frustrating. For the most part, the things that have been most bothersome are those that are the most normal everyday type things.

One of my favorite things, and to be completely honest probably the top thing on my list of favorite things, are books. Ever since I was a young kid, I've marveled at books as most do at money or big star sightings. In fact, as I've slowly moved from West Virginia to New Jersey, one of my biggest concerns has been where or how I will find the perfect bookcase on which I can display my collection. I resolved to invest in a "grown up" bookcase, so I passed on my set of bookshelves from Staples to my niece. So, now I have lots of boxes of books and no way to display them. To me, this is a big deal because they're all hidden away, not giving me half of the pleasure I get from merely seeing them all lined up on their shelves.

In any case, I used to love heading to the library to grab up a few good reads each month. However, I really don't have a good way of proving I'm a permanent resident, well, anywhere. So, I have had difficulty doing anything that requires that proof--like getting a library card. So, when I asked a friend at work, who lives in the city, if she had a library card that I may be able to use for one round before I get permanently settled, she presented a fabulous idea. She said she would forward to me the name of an online service that's like Netflix but for books. Can you imagine the excitement that I felt? I had never even considered this concept because I always had my library sitting conveniently nearby, and I worked hours that made it very convenient to pop in and out.

I went on the Internet to surf and find the service my friend spoke of, and sure enough it was there! It's called Bookswim. I realize that both the DVD mail service and this newly discovered service really only support the claim that we're becoming a people with insatiable appetites for anything and everything material, but I have to give them both two thumbs up. There promises to be a future blog entry, describing the Bookswim experience!