I has builded a bookshelf!

[desperance]

[ETA: I has actually builded a cat-play zone. Apparently.]

It's not a particularly well-builded, or even particularly stable, bookshelf, but there is reasons and causes for this: among them are the buckled nature of the metal supports just where the screws are meant to go in (on account of they had such trouble getting the screws out: I think they went at 'em with hammers in the end), and the fact that I forgot neglected to fix the back on. It's just a temporary structure anyway, thrown up in the hallway to accommodate the first load of books that I have to take off extant shelving, in order to remove said extant shelving, in order to replace it with another and stronger of my new-built shelving units. Yes. Like that. There's probably a word for it. I'll probably take down this bookshelf in the end, but it's dead handy right now. Going to be. Soon as I start shifting books.

Meantime, the warm glow of the accomplished craftsperson (snerk - you'll notice I'm not posting photos. Even of the cats being cute on shelves), and my dinner awaits. Hungry now. I has earned it.

Comments

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

Yay, you! (Whispers to conscience, Should I tell him about the library shed? Or is that bragging?) (Conscience whispers back, Nah, go ahead, it's inspirational.) Ahem, when Dave (Trowbridge) and I got married a few years back, part of his dowry was 70 boxes of books -- that's not including my or my daughter's collections. He put up a freestanding shed, filled it with shelves (500 linear feet, I think) -- then I got to sand, finish and paint them -- and put the books up. We put in heavy clear plastic strips over the door to keep out dust, and a fan for air circulation and dehumidifier to keep the mildew away.

Culling and donating duplicates helped a bit, but it's still a tight fit. Especially since neither one of us is willing to give up getting NEW books! I've had to revise my opinion on Keeping Every Book Even If I Never Want To Read It Again. It helps to know that whether we recycle through the local used-book store or the Friends of the Library, someone else may just love that Unreadable-Again Book. So they deserve to have it.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

*wants library shed*

*wants it*

Actually I was just sitting here thinking about culls, and thinking that perhaps I could do it, book by book - but then it struck me that without my books, I don't know who I am. Not so much an apotheotic moment, more a pure existential panic. Not good, this early on a Saturday morning. Going to stop thinking now. Drink coffee. Read book.

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

If you're ever out in Santa Cruz, I'll give you a guided tour

Existential panic, hmmm... yes, that resonates. But I do change and grow, so my library should, as well. Like leaving old bad habits and relationships-up-in-flames behind. Fortunately, there are as many ways to relate to one's library as there are people and books. Hence, a shed. Or two -- which seems to be Dave's solution to any storage problem. Somehow, he's always managed to have enough land to build as many as he wants. I'm tidier -- I like to be able to find the things I have. I present him with piles of "Are You Sure?" and then organize the rest.