Curosities

NPR has sprung a few loves in my life, like Paul Simon and now, again, Shel Silverstein. Yesterday morning, NPR had a story about Shel's family compiling a collection of never published poetry. Hearing his kin spattle off rhyming, rhythmic prose sent me straight on back... to the small grades. To the peace of the classroom when everyone settles down on the reading rug, sits Indian style and cranks their little necks up to see the pictures. I remember the quiet of the moment before the reading began, and how even the meanest teacher seemed to glow while reading aloud. We knew the peace was beginning when those 2nd graders that secretly still sucked their thumbs, did. And when the secret nose pickers did that too. Everyone was relaxed, and Shel's poetry ensued.  So, riding on these happy, school day memories, I found myself at the bookstore on my lunchbreak with a soy chai in hand (because soymilk makes chai THAT much better). My intention was to take a "look" at the book, what a nice lunchbreak thing to do,  look at a nice book..When, all of a sudden, the book was bought, by me. Without even opening it! Never, never, never have I bought a book unopened. Not a single word read. Not even on Amazon because even there you have the choice to "look inside" and who wouldn't do that? Well, me apparently, yesterday, with 'Everything on it" by Shel Silverstein. Hmmpp, didn't know this was possible for myself, this buying a book unopened. Usually, a book has one chance to get me, the first page. I read the first page, and if I desire to go to the 2nd, we're are pretty much sold, talk about first impressions. But, yesterday all rules went out the window when I had absolute faith in Shel's book. Absolute- and that felt pretty good. I think I blacked out at the register because I barely remember the transaction, what consciousness I do remember is a quote that is something in the neighborhood of

"A book is never an expense, but an investment."

And so, here I am today, at the bookstore again, with a soy chai basking in the love of a bookstore. Basking in the place designed for Curiosities and those that are curious. The whole wide world, documented, and in one glorious place. And we aren't talking about the internet now (which is rad, too), we are talking about tangible goods. Paper, ink, soft-backed books made for bending, stitch bound binding... cornucopia on anything that our minds wonder. From any given loveseat, or overstuffed chair I see countless books that I'd love to peruse:

The Beekeepers Handbook

Junky Styling in Fashion and Beauty

Chinese Houses in Southeast Asia

aaaah.... so many curiosities, so little lunchbreak.