Step One... the new library

A bookshelf is as particular to its owner as are his or her clothes; a personality is stamped on a library just as a shoe is shaped by a foot.  ~Alan Bennett

Finally.  A niche carved out in the basement for my volumes of books (ignore the exposed ceiling, please).  Nine feet wide and eight feet tall - and still not finished with stocking these shelves!  I'm filled with a mix of melancholy wistfulness:  a combo of elation, excitement, depression, fear, apprehension, disgust.

What?

Yep...  elation, excitement, depression, fear, apprehension, disgust.

Elation & Excitement:  finally, finally, FINALLY, the books are released from storage & set free to live & breathe on the shelves!  What joy to see book lined shelves - absolute joy!!!

Depression: sure are a lot of books on here that I've had for years... years!... and haven't even cracked the spine of...

Fear & Apprehension:  so many books, so little time...  what if I can't read them all?  What if there is something really important in here that I should have known before now?  What have I missed out on?  How come there are 2 copies of this same book???  Grrr...  What on earth do I read next?  How do I decide???  What about my ever-growing list of "books to be read"?  How will I ever stay current with the "hot list" if I'm stuck in time reading what I should have read 10, 15 years ago???  What happens to these beloved books if I die?  Will my family treasure & appreciate them as much as I do?  Will they keep them or give them away?  What if, what if, what if???

Disgust:  what the hell is wrong with me that I've invested so much money over the years & then not read these books?  Why did I buy some that I did?  Was I thinking I would learn something from this topic?  Was "everybody reading it" so I had to buy a copy, too?  Did I buy it for a true internal purpose or for show?  Just who am I trying to impress anyway???  Am I really going to read this, I mean, really???

~sigh~

OK, doom & gloom rant over!  I'm either going to jump in with both feet or throw in the towel.  That's a decision for another day, tho.  Because today I'm going to finish unpacking these books & stocking these shelves.  Then the slow, painful process of honest elimination can begin. 

~double sigh~