MemberReadSonja

This is my personal library, considerably pared down from my younger days, more suitable for apartment living. Also, a recent run in with the foxing mildew, presumably due to conditions in my old apartment has cut down on the numbers even further. I also donated a lot of books before moving that I hadn't read in many years. If only I'd known about bookswap.com then! So I'm left with my favorite fantasy novels, a lot of childrens books and mostly stuff with a nostalgia factor. Obviously my favorites are fantasy and historical fiction. Though, like a true dilettante, I dabble in other genres from time to time. I'm also fond of comics, though not really the kind that are most popular from America.

A Warrior and a Scholar.

Well, that's what the name says. Mainly I'm just a dilettante.

I love to read, which must make me pretty unusual around here... But I really can't imagine my life without some story to pass the time. Stories make the world go 'round for me.
It's pretty obvious my primary reasons for reading are escapist, rather than intellectual. I read a lot of fanfiction online. But I'll get in moods where I need a real book. Though some fanfiction, don't mistake me, can be absolute tomes when all is said and done. And some of it is extremely well written as well, though naturally that is a distinct minority. I think the same could be said about published works too, however, depending on how strict your critique is.

Due to some run-ins with the limitations of paper, I'm a bit more inclined to favor electronic books these days and I'm very excited about being able to download them online, particularly as my budget is limited and I've already bought the stories at least once, for the most part, in hard copy form. I'm looking forward to having my old favorites around and available from my computer or my portable ebook, without the concerns of dust allergies, mold and critters who like to use library shelves as a habitat. Takes up a lot less room too. Libraries are still lovely, but I can't help feeling that this is an improvement.

I find it amusing that my lifelong dream of a software version of the card catalog has finally come true, with many improvements. Not to mention that the new ebooks are very similar to a little device I imagined as a girl; one that would allow me to read books on a compact screen no matter where on earth I happened to be, via satellite (was my reasoning at the time). Considering that laptops were a new commodity then, current technology surpasses certain aspects of my imagined Petal (Portable Library), though they haven't gotten around to including fingerprint security technology in the package. I suppose it really isn't necessary for just an ebook however. I'm still waiting for a true internet electronic library though. There are quite a few things that come close, but nothing as extensive as I'd envisioned... yet.

I'm very introverted so I've never really felt the need to use social media. I like my alone time. But, that being said, I do actually also like people (in general as well as particular persons) and am quite friendly so if I were to receive a message I would respond positively. I guess I'm just a bit passive about seeking people out most of the time because I don't require constant company. I'm also almost never bored or short of things to do. Being paraplegic is kind of like having a part-time job, for life, for one thing. So I spend a lot of time on the computer and I've had many fascinating correspondences over the years with people from all over the world. Like a true dilettante however, the enthusiasm tends to wane after an indefinite period of time. But, I do feel that I could begin anew with any of my former correspondents and get a fairly positive response, so I still consider us connected in a way. I'm just not keeping up regular messages between us. I'm always excited to meet new people though. People fascinate and amuse me and they are, of course, highly educational. Even the annoying ones.