(no subject)

[listersgirl]

I finished my book on the subway this morning. This is a tragedy of great and terrible proportions! What will I read on the way home? What if we get stuck for hours and I have nothing to do? Not to mention lunch. I'm tempted to go buy a book, but I feel slightly guilty, given the size of my to-be-read shelf at home. Still, appropriate measures must be taken, I'm sure you all agree.

Comments

[dramaqueen-23.livejournal.com]

Look, you are facing public transportation with *no book*. If retail is your only recourse, do what you have to do. Alternatively, is there a library branch anywhere near where you work?

Library

[nonethewiser.livejournal.com]

This was my thought. At the very least buy second hand.

[listersgirl]

Oh sure, there's a library branch right across the street, but doesn't seem to have anything resembling fiction, or even entertaing non-fiction. Unless it's being hidden from me! In which case I say, bastards!

[eanja]

What's the point of a library w/ no fiction? Have they no children's books either? (because there's always something readable in the YA or independent readers, if you need.) Is this some sort of weird technical only branch or something?

[listersgirl]

It's the Metro branch - it's there to support city-related civil servantry, as far as i can tell. So it has lots of official documents and things like that. Nothing entertaining, that's for sure. :)

[zoje-george.livejournal.com]

It's an emergency.

[listersgirl]

Where's a "break glass in case of emergency" book when you need one?

[sarcasma.livejournal.com]

This is why I used to always have a few dependable re-reads tucked away in my desk at work!

Eventually, of course, if you have to use enough of them, you run out. That's when I'd buy a puzzle book or something like that -- cheaper than buying a book book.

[listersgirl]

That's so smart! I'm totally going to have to bring in some books. Of course, it'll ruin my record of being here 6 years without anything more personal than a spoon showing up in my workspace, but that's a small price to pay. :)

[sarcasma.livejournal.com]

I honestly don't know how you live. Where is your tea? Your biscuits for eating with tea? Your emergency granola bars? Your vitamins and headache pills? Your hand sanitizer and lotion? Your favourite mug? Your your your.

[listersgirl]

Well hidden! I have a drawer that locks with protein bars, hand lotion, tea, and a makeup bag with toothbrush, pills, etc.

I just don't want it...out there, you know? Actually, you probably don't. I understand that I am a freak when it comes to my workspace!

[sarcasma.livejournal.com]

No, I can understand that. I thought you didn't HAVE any of those things with you at work at ALL, which was freaking me out, man.

[listersgirl]

Nooooo, that would be sad. I just don't have anything out so that someone could tell it was my desk just by looking at it. Well, except for the post-it notes, but those aren't exactly personal. :)

[silentreverie.livejournal.com]

I completely agree. The mere thought of being bookless on public transport makes me shudder, so I'd say you're excused. :D

[listersgirl]

It's happened once before, and it was terrible! It was all I could do not to get drawn into the obnoxious arguement full of Very Wrong Facts of the people next to me.

[globetrotter1.livejournal.com]

See, that rarely happens to me because I'm organized crazy enough to carry a few books for my commute.

[listersgirl]

Usually if I'm getting close to the end of a book I'll leave it at home and take a new one, but this book tricked me by having all sorts of index and bibliographies at the end, and therefore being much shorter than anticipated. Boo!

[sarcasma.livejournal.com]

What, suddenly you're too good to read a bibliography? ;)

[listersgirl]

They're not exactly engrossing enough to keep out the Toronto crazies, you know?

[sarcasma.livejournal.com]

True. :)

[morag-gunn.livejournal.com]

Dude, this is what podcasts are for. You know there are literary ones, right?

In any case, there must be someone in your giant office building who has a book you can borrow for the trip home. Don't take drastic measures! There is a solution!

[listersgirl]

Yes, but podcasts require an iPod or the like, which requires money or someone who likes you enough to buy one for you. :)

[gingerale-kitty.livejournal.com]

What about a magazine like The New Yorker or Walrus? Periodicals don't count!

[listersgirl]

Clevery, that is in fact what I did. Because you're totally right - periodicals don't count.

[anglaisepaon.livejournal.com]

Can you go printer-happy and print out the first few chapters of a book off Project Gutenberg?

[listersgirl]

I bought a magazine instead, but that's a very clever idea, if I ever am silly enough to get myself into this situation again. :)

[anglaisepaon.livejournal.com]

Oh no! I'm sure you've learned your lesson. :)

[ainsley.livejournal.com]

I flatter myself that I must have a great mind, because I came here to suggest exactly that.

[listersgirl]

It was an excellent thought, too, because it would never have occured to me.

[rocketdreams.livejournal.com]

I read a fair bit, but I've never mastered the art of reading on public transit. I actually don't know how people do it...I can't concentrate and I have to read the same paragraph 400 times. No, I prefer to just sit there and stare creepily at people.

[listersgirl]

I read so that I can avoid making eye contact with creepily staring people like you. :D

[alltheleaves.livejournal.com]

Surely finishing a book in the morning entitles you to spend your lunch hour book shopping? Although may that be a lesson to you to always carry two books with you just in case.

[listersgirl]

In that case, I'm definitely going to have to stop carrying hardcover books! Ooof.

[alltheleaves.livejournal.com]

I'm not a fan of hardbacks, they make very bad travel reading. Unless it's the little hardbacks which are ideal.

Did you go book shopping? What did you find?

[listersgirl]

I was on the way to the bookstore when I passed a magazine shop, so I bought a magazine instead. That way I didn't feel guilty for bypassing the to-be-read shelf. :)