Books on Books

Yesterday, after ordering a roll of quarters at my local bank, the teller glanced at me with a furrowed brow and in a questioning tone assumed: "Is today laundry day?" Like a kid caught guiltily in my tracks, I gave the honest answer in a tone uncharacteristic to the suggestion that today was, in fact, dedicated to bleaching tanks and air-drying jeans. The conversation continued into teaching and kids and summer... sparked by The Usual, "So... what do you do all summer long?"

The thing is, I never truly know how to reply to that question with the underlying implication that I might for some reason find myself with a lack of options to explore, or in a state of boredom unique to this season alone. 

Of course the beat of everyday lists - laundry and groceries - continues... but I can hardly think of a single moment when there isn't something interesting to do... especially when I have an addiction to library reservations and book selections. You see, when people ask what I am reading, it's hard to know which answer to give. Since I can remember, I have had a stack of at least six books I am working through on the reg, as I suffer from a case of Reading A-D-D. You just never know which genre you'll feel emotionally ready for - deep & spiritual, light & happy, imaginative & playful? 

That's what I love about books: there's one for every mood.

So when I caught a look at my nightstand the other day and counted eleven books, I realized I had taken it the level of Problem. Instead of half-finishing, bookmarking, and underlining for later, perhaps I should focus on actually finishing...?

For this reason, above outfits or supplies or sleeping bags... books has created the burden of my Spanish packing thus far. With my personal under-7-pounds backpack limit for the Camino, choosing just ONE book for the road creates quite the conundrum. How do you choose?! 

I see only two options here: finishing all books in six days and letting the remainder decide, or closing my eyes and pointing to the winner.

Stay tuned.