I have just returned from my locally owned bookstore and it was a necessary trip, a stress reliever. Not just for the book I purchased; another copy of "Glass Castle" (I read my first copy then did a random shelf cleaning and book trading) but also for the simple bookstore experience.  (No hard feelings J.W.! See, I went out and got another copy!)

The minute I got in the car, the second I stepped in the door, the moment I checked the first shelf, my blood pressure lowered to an almost sleep state and life was good.

My methods are typical and patterned. I first check the used book racks, a mix match of roll out bookshelves my bookstore, Changing Hands delivers right outside the door to lure you in. After a quick scan, I walk into the door, the bell rings and to the left are the latest used books. I have found some great pieces sitting just waiting for me right on these shelves. The "trade-in" counter is almost always busy and today was no exception.

The store was a buzz today. Star Wars groupies were everywhere for a special event and a complete mock up of R2D2 roamed the aisles. There are no e-book wookies here, no tablet carrying readers (okay maybe a couple. Those tablets are cool for some things), no sir. These were walk the aisle, scan the covers, pick up and flip the pages people; my people.

I love my bookstore. It is my escape, it is my spa day, my piece of chocolate cake, my comfort. I love reading and yes, I think those e-books are okay (I did purchase an e-book on my son's Kindle but I do not personally own an e-reader), but my friends - there is nothing like my bookstore. It's the brushing up against shoulders of word seekers, the sharing a table with a stranger, the inclination to reach out to a browser and let them know, "That book, "Autobiography of a Face" by Lucy Grealy is wonderful, you'll love it". One fellow book fan who apparently was having some trouble with a large beaded necklace she was wearing, caught me in the memoir aisle and asked if I would be so kind to help her remove it. It was itching her neck. Connection to our fellow readers, writers and the books we love.

Can't download that.


Do you have a favorite bookstore or book experience to share? I am working on posting photos on my blog but am having a bit of a time.  More posts to come! 

• My New Writing Class
• Riding in Cars with Dogs; My Dog Teeka
• Desert Nights Rising Stars Writing Conference

  Look for Riding in Cars with Dogs Soon

• My Life in 300 Words

Welcome to 2013 and a year of "firsts".  I took my first shower of 2013 just now-thank you, (bow, hand, hand, wrist, wrist wave), I had my first beer just a few ago and that was quite tasty I must say (did I mention it is now about 5:30 p.m. so it's okay, really) and this morning I took my dog for her first walk of the new year. I also videotaped it-I am a bit odd that way-I videotape pretty much everything except, well that of course. On my videotape I narrated a lovely day, my dog's sniffing adventures of every bush and tree and just how glorious the morning was turning out to be. The street was hush, hush quiet and the revelers were tucked into bed.

I came home and downloaded the pictures from the week including my lovely morning videotape walk and then I made the mistake of watching it.

Do NOT, I repeat-DO NOT videotape yourself and then watch it if you are over 40 and would like to have a good day. This is what happened; to avoid drawing a HUGE amount of attention to myself, walking and talking into space as I faced the camera, I held it down. Big mistake. Do you realize people what gravity is doing to our faces? Do you have any idea how bad we, (yes, YOU) all look at an angle from about your chest up? Hideous, droopy and my nose holes! Good Lord Almighty, you could drive a truck through those things.

So that is how my morning of January 1, 2013 went. Started off great until I saw what 47 New Year's have done to my face. But..... then something great happened.... so stay with me here.

By mid afternoon, the Nightmare on Elm Street vision of my face was wearing off and the family decided to have some fun. We broke out the choicest of the Nerf Gun Christmas presents and went absolutely nutty. We had a Family of Four Nerf War! We donned the goggles, strapped on the ammo bags, racked the slides and primed the magazines of flying discs and blue and orange darts-then we had AT IT!! The hubby and me against our two boys, little nippers of 11 and 9-who screamed like the daughters I never had as they retreated time and again to the back room through a hail of neon darts.

The house was a war zone and I laughed my ass off, thank goodness because after the appetizers and pizza on the eve of the new year, I could use a little shaved off the back.

Oh, and my face? Who gives a rat's behind.. when the New Year Calls, I will be locked and loaded ready to take it on..

Have fun and Happy 2013.