Friday, February 20, 2009

40 days of not buying books


I'm really looking forward to February 25, Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. For many of us, it's no-fish Fridays, no hallelujahs in mass, and the obligatory acts of kindness. For me, I decided to try something different. I'm planning not to buy any books during the entire 40 days—from Ash Wednesday to Black Saturday.

As a bibliophile, I think the only way to achieve this is by:
  • Not going to bookstores as often as before. A hard feat, considering that I pass by at least four bookstores every day on my way home.
  • Leaving my discount cards at home. Buying books at full prices is enough motivation to refrain from getting them.
  • Staying clear from sites like Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The less I know about new releases, the better.
  • Constantly looking at my ever-increasing reading backlog. I just can't keep adding on to it. So far, I've bought 18 books this year and I've only read 1.
  • Downloading audio books from torrent sites. It's free, and there's literally thousands of choices.
  • Spending more time on Facebook. There's just so much note-tagging going on.
  • Going on a diet, exercising, walking, using the stairs more often. These are my acts of kindness—to myself.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

My book-buying hit an all-time low when I moved. I have to take the bus and train to get to the nearest English bookstore, so it's not really worth it. But when I do go... ugh, I'm like a spending machine. :P

Good luck with your goals. ;)

-June

Peter S. said...

Hello, June! Thanks! In a way, the non-proximity of bookstores is good, right? It somehow regulates your impulsive book buying urges. ;-)