I love old books. I love how they look, how they smell, and the ancillary history attached to each one. I wonder who owned this book before? What did they do? Why did they sell it? Did they need some extra cash? Did they just not like the book anymore? I like to own books. I know the concept of a library is fairly commonplace in our society, but, I want to make a book my own…I want to keep it. In fact I have a bit of an addiction. I have much trouble leaving a bookstore without buying a book.
I stopped into a used bookstore one night as I often do and like clockwork, like “Old Faithful,” like, ummm, always happens whenever I enter a Blockbuster or a book store or some place that requires a bit of browsing, I was all but overcome by the need to go to the bathroom. I cannot escape it! …I went into the bathroom and was somewhere between disgusted, disappointed and just over all frustrated when I saw how nasty the bathroom was. I think the inside of my trashcan at home is more clean…well, maybe not. I went in and relieved myself. As I walked up to the sink I saw an employee with a broom and a dustpan. As I walked out of the potty I pondered what I had just seen. This guy was seriously in there sweeping. I mean the place was all but toad infested, but man, he was right on that little piece of toilet paper on the ground and the dust on some vent in the ceiling. I’m not trying to diss the guy. In fact the little scenario got me thinking about life in general.
We can be in the midst of something crazy, something dirty, something that is clearly a mess to the rest of the world and everyone else around us, yet we busy ourselves sweeping up, when we really need to bust out with the Pine Sol, a rag and some elbow grease. How often do we deceive ourselves into thinking that “we’re ok” or that we are being productive, when really we are just engaging in busy work that will do nothing to clean our “bathrooms?” Are you fat? Diet Coke won’t help. Are you skinny? Reading a muscle magazine won’t help. Are you lazy? Buying a book about making money won’t help. Life is short. Stop sweeping and start mopping.
Check out my other posts.
I stopped into a used bookstore one night as I often do and like clockwork, like “Old Faithful,” like, ummm, always happens whenever I enter a Blockbuster or a book store or some place that requires a bit of browsing, I was all but overcome by the need to go to the bathroom. I cannot escape it! …I went into the bathroom and was somewhere between disgusted, disappointed and just over all frustrated when I saw how nasty the bathroom was. I think the inside of my trashcan at home is more clean…well, maybe not. I went in and relieved myself. As I walked up to the sink I saw an employee with a broom and a dustpan. As I walked out of the potty I pondered what I had just seen. This guy was seriously in there sweeping. I mean the place was all but toad infested, but man, he was right on that little piece of toilet paper on the ground and the dust on some vent in the ceiling. I’m not trying to diss the guy. In fact the little scenario got me thinking about life in general.
We can be in the midst of something crazy, something dirty, something that is clearly a mess to the rest of the world and everyone else around us, yet we busy ourselves sweeping up, when we really need to bust out with the Pine Sol, a rag and some elbow grease. How often do we deceive ourselves into thinking that “we’re ok” or that we are being productive, when really we are just engaging in busy work that will do nothing to clean our “bathrooms?” Are you fat? Diet Coke won’t help. Are you skinny? Reading a muscle magazine won’t help. Are you lazy? Buying a book about making money won’t help. Life is short. Stop sweeping and start mopping.
Check out my other posts.
RSS Feed