Think they have a support group for this?

Hi my name is Allison and I have a problem.

I am a book slut.

There, I said it. I can't go into a bookstore and just leave those books alone. They have to come home with me. Sometimes 3 or 4 at a time even! It's shameful. Especially when I think about how many are already waiting for me at home. Neglectfully unread. Pining away on their dusty shelves. Perfectly good books.

I just can't help myself, you know? And Borders is no help with their book club member discounts and Buy 1 Get 1 sales. Every corner of that store calls to me, "Paperback Favorites!" and "Hardcover Classics!", "Bestsellers!" and "Oprah's Book Club!". How can I resist those shiny covers lined up for my perusal. Offering themselves up to my waiting hands. They're just asking for it. Who am I to say no?

And don't even get me started on those used book stores. Each sad, worn, dog-eared paperback like a puppy in the pound. You know what happens to the ones you don't buy? I don't even want to think about where they end up. Probably on some poor 25 cent table at a church bazaar. Nestled right in between dirty kids toys and crochet Christmas ornaments. Unspeakable. I know I can't save every one of them, but I'll be damned if I don't try.

So call me what you will, but I love all my little guys, from "And Then There Were None" to "Wuthering Heights" and every one in between. And if loving them is wrong, I don't want to be write.


To illustrate the magnitude of my problem, I have photographed every place in my house I have stuffed books. Keep in mind that 1. I have moved home recently so most of them are packed in boxes, and 2. None of these belong to my mom.

Photographic Scavenger Hunt

The fun people at Sh1ft have a really cool photography exercise to check out. Once every couple of months they post a list of 26 Things for people to try to capture and express through the pictures they take. Once you take the pictures, you can upload the best ones onto the 26 Things Flickr Group to share with everyone else. It's interesting to see what images people come up with to represent the word or phrase on the list.

I have yet to participate in this, so I have decided to work through November's 26 Things. The goal is to try to shoot at least one thing a day. On the right column of this blog I have posted the list of things I will be looking to shoot. Once I get a good shot of one I'll upload it here and also link it to my Flickr account.