I think that we're all happy to bid a heartfelt farewell to 2020 - it's not a common sentiment for January 1st, but thank god THAT'S over with. A new year and a fresh start is now upon us, and with it, the traditional time for resolutions intended to address flaws, perceived or actual, and thereby improve one's person and personality.
However, let's start the process with the equally traditional confession of failure regarding past resolutions. I have to admit that I didn't fully complete last year's resolution to catalogue my book collection (with the concomitant task of replacing the more battered selections).
As always when someone doesn't follow through with their New Year's commitment, I can provide a list of half-hearted explanations and excuses: we moved in the middle of the year, packing for which temporarily removed access to my collection and broke my flow; COVID-19 limited my access to bookstores for replacement purchases; work overload in the fourth quarter made me more likely to lie on the bed after work than type the titles of books; and, surprisingly during a pandemic, more social activity on the weekend as Karli's sister Stefanie, the non-resident single member of our bubble, started coming over for weekend dinners on a more regular basis.
All that aside, I did manage to get as far as the M section of the bookshelves, and overall, it was an incredibly valuable exercise in terms of cleaning up my library. My only regret is that I didn't log the number of replacement books that I've purchased, although I could probably make a reasonable estimate, given that most of the books went to other people rather than the donations bin. (In a couple of cases, the texts being replaced were in such bad shape that I recycled them*, but only a few books suffered that particular fate.)
Not only has it been valuable in terms of maintenance, but it's surprisingly enjoyable. I know that sounds like a very geek statement, and yes, there was a certain aspect of drudgery to it, but as a lover of books, it was a wonderful opportunity to get back in touch with overlooked favourites and forgotten treasures.
As such, I've decided to let last year's resolution ride for a second year. After all, if it took 12 months to get as far as M, it makes perfect sense to take another 12 months to get to Z. (After which I'll have to do the hardcovers, but still.) Yep, that's the plan...and I'm sure I'll get started on that any time now...
- Sid
* It's very unusual to throw away a book, it somehow feels almost criminal.
