tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554498168264477884.post965380792632378390..comments2023-09-26T03:53:17.142-04:00Comments on Pentimento: Cooking with the PoetsPentimentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17161146891505294679noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554498168264477884.post-2877886574734653312010-01-04T16:11:55.214-05:002010-01-04T16:11:55.214-05:00That photo looks just like my house moments after ...That photo looks just like my house moments after my toddler has passed an idle minute or two...<br /><br />I can relate about not being able to get rid of books, though I've mastered it now, I think -- apart from those boxes in the loft that I couldn't bring myself to give away.Frabjous Dayshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05100553315101394237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554498168264477884.post-69493130228418472932010-01-04T11:38:04.480-05:002010-01-04T11:38:04.480-05:00How I sympathize! When we moved to MS, I was afrai...How I sympathize! When we moved to MS, I was afraid we'd go over our weight limit, so I bagged and boxed multiple loads of stuff to the thrift shop. I meant to give away more books, I really did, but instead I left behind my washer and dryer.<br /><br />Mrs. D - I've tried to follow your policy of only buying books I think I or my kids would read again, but there's more of those than I first thought. Just finished John Baxter's A Pound of Paper about his exploits as a book collector - at least I'm not as addicted as he. Or else I'm too cheap to drop hundreds on first editions.Emily J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01132106976424535611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554498168264477884.post-60755241028060829252010-01-03T20:52:26.122-05:002010-01-03T20:52:26.122-05:00The menus from Helen Hecht's book remind me of...The menus from Helen Hecht's book remind me of your post a while back about the soprano who had the rules for when and what to eat -- you read the rules or the menu and think, "If only I followed through on this, my life would be peaceful and ordered and perfect." And now I want an Alsation Omelet and Bacon.<br /><br />We have a hard time throwing or giving away books because we don't buy anything we don't think we'll want to keep. So we have the illusion that every book is necessary to our familial and personal development (and image), even if it's only something I picked up because I thought that maybe we ought to have it for the kids one day, or because I just wanted it to have a good home.mrsdarwinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03446744635277205867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554498168264477884.post-80234579621951242002010-01-03T13:44:19.915-05:002010-01-03T13:44:19.915-05:00You are very welcome here, Honeybee.
In spite of ...You are very welcome here, Honeybee.<br /><br />In spite of the fact that we moved from an apartment into a big house, I too felt aggravated by the volume of my accumulated possessions, and gave away many boxes of things in advance of our move -- books, toys, children's clothes, my clothes. The irony is that we have plenty of storage here, but so far I've foudn that I haven't missed any of the things in the boxes. <br /><br />My main disappointment with Bookmooch so far is that no one seems to have the books on my wishlist. . . <br /><br />May your move be an easy one and your new place a happy one.Pentimentohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17161146891505294679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554498168264477884.post-19698742505403208582010-01-03T13:20:01.741-05:002010-01-03T13:20:01.741-05:00I apologize for not introducing myself when I made...I apologize for not introducing myself when I made my comment – I should have done. I am relatively new to your blog, but as I’ve recently subscribed to your blog-feeds, I look forward to being a regular reader and hopefully, can contribute a comment now and then.<br /><br />Thanks for the good wishes regarding my move; I appreciate the solidarity! <br /><br />I have done Bookmooch and think it’s a terrific idea. I have sent about 10 books (hardbacks, all) to the US. As you mention, it was very gratifying, indeed, to have others appreciate my offerings, but the postage was becoming prohibitive.<br />Unfortunately, I wasn’t getting any local interest, so I temporarily pulled my list while getting ready for this move.<br /><br />My last resort will be to contact the local American/British Ladies Clubs, but I will have to overcome my very strong antipathy towards making contact with Anglophone expats. I know it’s irrational, considering I’m one myself!<br /><br />Happy 2010 to you. And may you get settled in your new place will all peace and speed!honeybeenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554498168264477884.post-61433329627999151672010-01-03T08:07:42.297-05:002010-01-03T08:07:42.297-05:00Welcome, Honeybee, and all the best for your move....Welcome, Honeybee, and all the best for your move.<br /><br />Having moved four times in the past four years, and sharing your taste in drugs, I'm all too familiar with the dichotomy between clinging fiercely to one's books and wanting to cast them into the bonfire of the vanities and walk away purified.<br /><br />Have you checked out the Bookmooch site? There seem to be many American members, or at least English speakers, living abroad, and others who are willing to send their books abroad (I sent Were You Always An Italian?, by Maria Laurini, off to England). The Bookmooch concept is not without its problems, but it's a salve to the soul to know that someone else values your books, even if you need to slough them off.<br /><br />At least in my new city the library is always looking for book donations. It was always frustrating back in New York that the branch libraries had a policy of turning down donations. And just think of all those Collyer-Brothers-type bibliophiles and doctoral candidates working at the Strand Bookstore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strand_Bookstore) being suffocated by their own books in their own homes . . .<br /><br />Happy new year!Pentimentohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17161146891505294679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554498168264477884.post-27159925749544605632010-01-03T01:22:06.343-05:002010-01-03T01:22:06.343-05:00Books are my drug of choice, and I am moving into ...Books are my drug of choice, and I am moving into a new, smaller apartment this week, so this post is very timely for me. <br /><br />As I live in Europe, the challenge of giving away English language books is greater; I hate to throw books away, but it may well come to that in the end. When I look at all my books, I now no longer feel pleasure and comfort, but burdened and oppressed. <br /><br />I know it will be wrenching to part with them, but in a way, I’m eager to strip away to the bone some of the props that have held me up. <br /><br />When I packed for this move, I was shocked and demoralized by the volume of things I had accumulated. I resolved that 2010 would my year of radical letting go and seriously questioning what things I really need to live and what I can live without.honeybeenoreply@blogger.com