1. I have not yet finished Pride and Prejudice, and it’s mostly Jonna‘s fault because she (or, more accurately, her GoodReads list) got me hooked on this VERY BAD NO GOOD AWFUL young adult werewolf series (you guys: it’s so bad. But it’s also so … compulsively readable. It’s the poor man’s Twilight, and I say that as as both a compliment and as the best descriptor I can think of.) After that rabbit hole I was then further motivated to pick up Discovery of Witches, which so far seems promising but is approximately three million pages long, so.
2. Yes, I know I could postpone these readings until AFTER I finished P&P, but here’s the thing: after many years of extremely pointed comments regarding a) our lack of bookshelf space and b) the amount of money we spend at Amazon (last year’s birthday Kindle shocking only solved one of these probelms), I finally, finally got a library card:
I feel like that chick in PCU, who was all “Wait, if you’re nice to them, they bring you things?” Every time I leave the library with a new book I’m all “They’re just going to let me …take it?… for free?” And really, it’s wonderful, because the awful horrible unputdownable series that I got hooked on is not in any way a series I will ever re-read, so the ability to read it for free and have all evidence of the reading disappear was quite lovely. HOWEVER, I find I have this mental block with library books that makes me want to finish them IMMEDIATELY because they have to go back and other people want them and there is a time limit, and I see that ticking clock and GOD I just need to finish this BOOK and I don’t have TIME for you Lizzy Bennet, because you sit on my shelf permanently but this here library book will turn into a pumpkin SOON.
3. Speaking of Pride and Prejudice (and when am I not, these days?), I spoke with my mom shortly after writing that post, and she was all “Oh for crying out loud, just watch the damn movie and be done with it.” And it’s at this point, at age 29 and 363 days, that I finally realized parents are completely and totally winging it half the time, and the majority of rules that crop up are likely more to do with convenience than actual principles. I mean, come on: ten bucks says that I had to read Gone With The Wind before watching the movie simply because the movie version wasn’t available the day I wanted to watch it, but the book was right there and what the hell, it kept me entertained, right? But then it was, like, a precedent, and now the Family Has A Rule: no movies about books until you’ve seen the book,” and here we are today, me as a grown woman with a complex all because my mom was trying to deflect an 11 year old from whining about a movie being out of stock at the store [remember when you had to go places to rent movies??]. God I can’t wait to be a parent.
4. If you didn’t get my PCU reference up there, I highly suggest you go watch it. It’s a classic.
5. Regarding The Birthday Boots: Posting pictures of these books has prompted an invite to the Flickr group: “Something About Women In Cowboy Boots” which … is unsettling. I haven’t clicked over to see what kind of photos are in this set, because honestly I’m a little scared as to what the Internet is going to throw at me here.
6. Happy Friday, all. We’re off to the mountains to spend the holiday weekend, which will also be coinciding with the birthday weekend (as it does) and I gotta tell you: Life is looking pretty good.
InnerTeub 
Plus, if I read the book and then see the movie, I’m generally disappointed in or enraged by the movie, or mad at who they cast. But if I see the movie first, I’m generally delighted by the additional stuff in the book.
Oooooh, that’s a good point, and a great way to avoid “But it’s never as good as the BOOK, GAH” disappointment.
I’m bucking for the longest comment ever award. So five things:
1. Also reading a Discovery of Witches and YES…SO LONG! I was thinking it would just be a fluffy vampire witch paperback and when I picked it up from the library I was like THANK GOD I’VE BEEN WORKING OUT SO I CAN CARRY THIS TO MY CAR. Reading it in bed has proved sort of irritating because when I fall asleep and it hits me in the face, it’s not pretty.
2. The library. OMG, THE LIBRARY! It has changed my life in the last 2 years. I’m obsessed! I feel like I’ll never have to buy another book again and I want to shout it from the rooftops. The problem is I DO continue to buy books and then they get relegated to the shelves because I have a stack of books that are due back so Must. Read. Them. Now. This is an immense amount of pressure and I now have this elaborate ordering system with books and holy smokes it’s now one more thing to manage. Though still incredibly awesome because the books…THEY ARE FREE! And that never gets old.
3. Dude, watch the movie. I read the book, and don’t get me wrong I ❤ Jane Austen and all of that. But the movie? Pretty damn good too. Just go for it and get this monkey off your back.
4. Flickr is creepy.
5. Have a lovely weekend! The mountains sound fantastic! YAY!
Seriously: this book is so big. But jonna promises the main dude makes Eric Northman look like a pansy, so I’m in.
I do heart my library, buy I also heart having a collection of loved books. Here’s hoping for both!
Happy Birthday! Hope your weekend is spectaculous!
I too love the library. I grew up across the street from one (yes, I’m a book nerd from WAY back) and I too feel that same pressure of mustreadnowmybookisduesoon! Which would probably explain the stack of 27 books beside my bed that are collecting dust.
Also, I’m gonna let you get a head start on Discovery of Witches. I too fell for Jonna’s recommendation so it’s on “the list”. But heaven knows, I can’t begin another book until I finish the one I’m reading now! (Yes, that’s a rule of mine. Self-inflicted.)(See above: book nerd. Also, I NEVER read the end first. Ack! Why?? Why would I do that??)
My husband had never seen PCU until I sat down and made him watch it a couple months ago. It’s sooooo his kind of movie, I was shocked!
(New reader here…loving your stories…)
As a librarian, I would like to congratulate you on your library card! Yay!
Also, PCU makes me pee my pants laughing everytime. EVERY.TIME.
Isn’t that the best movie ever? Whenever I hear that people haven’t seen it, I’m all “STOP DO NO PASS GO YOU MUST WATCH NOW!”
And: library: seriously, amazing. I mean, I know, ok: duh. BUT! Amazing!