Saturday Shopping

I have been in the middle of a little depressive episode. This happens periodically and is nothing to be too concerned about. But it is important that I try to do things that make me feel better. Book shopping sometimes improves my mood, so I arranged to go to the library’s used-book store on Saturday morning.

I found a few books that wanted to come home with me.

• Hoot by Carl Hiaasen: It’s a Newbery Honor book, and I’ve heard good things about it.
• Fablehaven by Brandon Mull: It has a spooky cover, and the description on the back sounds interesting. Also, Orson Scott Card is quoted as having said, “Like Harry Potter, Fablehaven can be read aloud in a family with as much pleasure for grown-ups as for children….” That’s a strong endorsement.
• The Silver Pencil by Alice Dalgliesh: Both I and my friend Sprite were tempted by this Newbery Honor book when we saw a copy in the dungeon that doubles as the Putnam Public Library’s used-book nook. I did not yield to temptation that time, but I kept the book in mind. This time the copy was in pristine condition, so what the heck.

I tend to focus on the children’s/YA section when I’m at this store. That’s partly because of my reading tastes. But it’s also because the turnover rate is high in that section, so you never know what you might find there. Stuff in the other sections seems to sit and sit (which could be why the store is planning a “bag sale” for later this month).

But I’ve noticed that my donated items get put on the shelves immediately. So maybe it’s just that you have to be in the right place at the right time to get the new stuff. That’s why I try to give every section a quick look, even though I don’t get my hopes up.

This time I hit gold in the music section, which is good, because listening to music also tends to lift my mood. Someone (or someones) had donated a slew of interesting CDs. My husband likes Sufjan Stevens, so I snatched up those three CDs (and he was quite pleased when I brought them home to him!). I had been thinking about giving The Decemberists and Beck a try, so I was happy to find some CDs by each. The Decemberists collection was particularly good (The Hazards of Love, Picaresque, Her Majesty the Decemberists, Castaways and Cutouts, and The Tain). There were also some movie soundtracks (Twilight, New Moon, and Wayne’s World) that had songs by notable bands, so I bought those, too. When a CD costs $1.00, you only have to like one song to make the album worth the price. Plus the money goes to the library, which is a good cause, and if you don’t like the CDs, you just donate them right back the next time you go shopping.

Anyway, I’m listening to one of the albums from The Decemberists right now. I like it. And given that Amazon would charge me more for it than what I paid for all 13 CDs, I think I got an excellent deal!