My Quirks
Having been asked to name some quirky things about myself, I hereby comply. (I also hereby limit myself to just three quirks; the vinegar obsession will have to wait for another day.)
1. I love wrapping paper.
I currently have 15 rolls of wrapping paper, 3 of which are new within the last month. This would be fine if I had, say, upwards of a hundred presents to wrap, but I only have about ten, so I'm buying about six times as much wrapping paper as I'm actually using up.
I'm particularly fond of foil wrapping paper, especially green and gold, although I also try to remember to buy wrapping paper which doesn't scream "Christmas." I've also currently got wrapping paper which has giant peacock feathers on it, paper with red, orange, and yellow stripes, and silver snakeskin paper.
I love wrapping paper from Papyrus, but the closest store is in Boston. Borders, however, tends to have a decent selection of stuff from either Papyus or Paper Chase. I also got some paper from The Container Store this year, which I think I'll like.
I actually like paper crafts, generally, including origami and bookbinding, but I don't really have the tools to do bookbinding right now and origami is pretty but quasi-pointless once you're done, so wrapping paper is a nice way of indulging my paper-related interests.
2. I rarely buy books.
Mind you, I read plenty of books, I just don't buy them all that often.
In general, I don't see the point. I don't care to reread most books, anyway, and when I do, I'm generally patient enough to wait until I can get it at the library. And as for the books that I want immediate access to — well, those are the ones that I buy. (This ends up being lots of reference and grammar books, and a few other favorites.)
(A more practical concern is that I'd I'd need an extra $500-$1,000 a year to buy all of the books I read, which I simply don't have. Plus, having a due date hanging over my head makes means I'm more likely to finish a book.)
3. I don't listen to music.
This is not to say that I have taken some sort of sacred vow of non-musicality, it's just . . . well, you know those people who say "I should really read a book some time" as if it's something they've been meaning to do because they know it would be good for them? Well, that's pretty much how I am with music. I'll happily listen to it if it's on, and I tend to like most of what I'm exposed to, but I hardly ever go and seek it out, myself. I like stories and I like new information, but music typically presents me with neither, so I don't find it entertaining enough to bother with.
Unfortunately, when I hear someone say "I should really read a book some time," I tend to write them off as a potential friend and it's entirely possible that others are doing the same thing at this very moment. Ah, well, c'est la vie.
I now tag the last three people who commented on my blog: Theric, Optimistic., and Redoubt.
14 Comments:
I definitely very agree with the third one.
I go through phases with buying books, but I actually don't buy very many unless I'm at a library sale or a thrift store. I actually usually only buy stuff if I've read it before and liked it enough to either read it again or to want to loan it to other people. I also realized through reading your post that I'm just not a music person. I've spent my whole life surrounded by music people and felt guilty about not caring, but I guess I'm not that into music after all.
The wrapping paper one is pretty weird.
he he he... if it's possible... I like you more now. Your quirks are adorable.
PS: I collect wrapping paper too - I have 7 rolls that are currently unwrapped under my bed right now. It's a compulsion -- I don't know.
That's what I get for commenting on your blog. Shame on me.
Fun fact: I have no quirks.
Uh oh, that means I have to think.
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Boy, that's the last time I comment on your blog....
I would disagree about music providing new information. It might not be information in a traditional sense, but it is new in the same way that the feelings and perspectives we get from art, poetry, and a really great meal are new. Or when look at other peoples' books, you learn something new as a bookbinder. That's true for any craft, I think.
Do you listen to CDs that people make for you?
Also, I miss bookbinding.
Heather - I'm glad you don't like me any less!
O., Th., Rt - That'll teach the lot of you!
Krebscout - I like systematic information, and music doesn't provide much of that. (Also, I don't really like poetry or art, no big surprise there.) And people don't usually make me CDs, although I suppose I'd probably listen to one at least once, just to be polite.
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I'm going to make you an educational cd right now. Math from Ton Lehrer, history and biology from They Might Be Giants --- that sort of thing.
CDs? Books? Best of both worlds: Audiobooks! Seriously, it is the only way I get any leisure reading done, fiction or non, is by listening during my commuting.
I can always tell if it is a good book based on whether I often find myself wishing my commute was just a bit longer ;)
As of March I've spent probably about 800 dollars on books. Le sigh. Yet before this year I spent so few. But then If I combined totals from movies, music and tv it would be astronomical.
2.--You mean you don't find deep satisfaction buy looking at the books you own (especially novels and poetry books) on your shelf or feel all tingly just looking at the cover and holding its smoothness to your chest?
3.--What about U2 and the Beatles?
Ethan - Not a bad idea if my commute was longer. (It's 10 minutes, on average. 15 minutes if traffic's bad.) I suppose I could listen to a book 15 minutes at a time, but NPR is on during my commute, so I'd rather listen to that.
Ginsberg -
2. I do love the books I own, but I love my reference books most of all, so that's what I tend to buy.
3. I'll pop in a CD in my car if there's nothing good on NPR, but I almost never listen to them, just to listen, no.
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