She Sells Sea Shells by the Seashore

[mickisue1]

I'm getting there with my books, too, Will.

When I purged my office a few months ago, the rule with books was that if I hadn't read it, or I wasn't CERTAIN that I'd read it again, out it went. That accounted for a box so large and so full, Husband had to carry it downstairs for me.

I got firstborn Son to do the same, when he and his wife were here in May (they arrived in China, yesterday!). From several boxes and a large population on bookshelves, we're down to a couple of smallish boxes.

Now Mom (me) and Daughter have to do the same on the downstairs bookshelves. I'm thinking that it would make a pleasant few hours of chatting and reminiscing at Xmas.

[FHBOY]

Yes,

Originally Posted by TundraGreen

I used to feel that way about books...I don't miss them a bit.

As we begin the process, now, of packing up - we still have six months, but... I find that the books we've accumulated are also going away. Yes there are some that I re-read when I'm bored I keep, but I am amazed by all the books that have gone. Yes, I love my library, I, too, had miles of shelves, but in the end, I read those I wanted to, and never opened them again, so it was time for them to go. I just couldn't throw them out, we needed to find homes for them: local synagogues got a lot of the Judaic books, the local library got some for their resale sale, some when to a shelter...I just couldn't kick them to the curb and would have have to see them go into a garbage truck...they were old friends.

Now...what about 3-4 cartons of old LP vinyl? Like to sell them, but the cat(s) used the spines as scratching posts so the jackets are less than perfect. What do you do with these "old friends"? Yeah, I know, toss 'em.

[mickisue1]

Just a heads up: there is an organization called Better World Books. They're useful for those scattered around the globe who want to hold a book written in English in their hands: they deliver all over the world. We used them for firstborn Son and his wife when they were in Korea.

But they also have a used book program that gives books to people all over the world, as well. You can let them know what books you'd like to donate, and they'll send you a shipping label to print out, so the cost of getting the books to them is free.

Son and wife did a combination of Better World donation, donation to women's prisons (they will only take paperbacks), selling some to a used bookseller, and asking us to put some in any garage sale we might have.

[FHBOY]

Originally Posted by mickisue1

Just a heads up: there is an organization called Better World Books. They're useful for those scattered around the globe who want to hold a book written in English in their hands: they deliver all over the world. We used them for firstborn Son and his wife when they were in Korea.

But they also have a used book program that gives books to people all over the world, as well. You can let them know what books you'd like to donate, and they'll send you a shipping label to print out, so the cost of getting the books to them is free.

Son and wife did a combination of Better World donation, donation to women's prisons (they will only take paperbacks), selling some to a used bookseller, and asking us to put some in any garage sale we might have.

WOW! Great idea! I'll explore. Thanks.

[edgeee]

i'm weird in many ways.
one of my personal peculiarities is that i'm addicted to knowledge.
i will keep my printed words close to my heart as long as it beats.
and when it's time to give them up, i will donate them to some organization devoted to bringing people together.
not much, but it's all i can do.

knowledge is the universal communication.

[Sisalena]

I have always been an avid reader, and when we moved to Yucatan six years ago, we only brought what would fit in our 7x12 foot cargo trailer. I managed to bring about 5 boxes of books. The rest I donated to Goodwill. I also had a collection of 5 plastic bins of LP's that I tried to sell via yard sales, but whatever didn't sell, also went to Goodwill. As an avowed "pack rat", getting rid of all my "stuff" was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, but now that it's a done deal, I find that I really DON'T miss any of that "stuff"! Since I discovered free Kindle books (for PC, I don't have a "reader"), I haven't read a "real" book. My Kindle library is now over 900 books just waiting on the Amazon server for me to read at my leisure! And I haven't spent one thin peso! My advice (for what it's worth) -- just let 'em go!

[La Osita]

When I left the USA, I had a HUGE multi-day yard sale. And, thirty plus years of collected rocks, shells, sharks teeth, ancient bones, etc. went into the pockets or bags of little children who came to the yard sale with their parents. (You should have seen the looks on the Dads' faces when their kids got the treasure and they didn't). It was pretty funny. And, yes, at some point I cried. Some times I really miss wandering around my yard looking at all my treasures, but I think Sunny VMX has a point... it's never really ours anyway. I kept the memories and let go of the stuff!

[mickisue1]

Ed, I understand that love of learning, as do most people, really.

But keeping books that have been read, and probably won't be read again, by ME is, I'm learning, selfish at its core. They may represent a period of my life, or a flash of insight. Who am I to keep the opportunity for that flash from someone else, by holding on to that book?

Every physical thing that we own ties us down, in a sense. In some ways, that's good, because we need ties to who we are and who we were. But too many things tie us too tightly, and when those things represent knowledge, or flights of fancy, we are better off sharing them with those who may not have been able to otherwise attain that learning or the flying.

[eagles100]

FHBOY, for your wife's shells and rocks, if she decides not to take them, may I suggest making nice displays of them and taking very good digital pictures. The pictures would be weight-free memories of her treasures.

She could later have some enlarged and displayed in your new digs in Mexico.

[stilltraveling]

Originally Posted by FHBOY

She has, over the last 40 years, collected sea shells and archeological pottery shards,

That last part is going to be a problem. Removal of archaeological artifacts from their site of origin is a crime in most places. Transporting them across international boundaries without the requisite paperwork is a serious crime in a lot of places, including Mexico. The laws are not only country specific, but also included in many international conventions. I knew a guy in Central America that ended up in prison for trying to take some of the pottery shards that are littered all over the region with him. You might want to check with a professional on this one before you end up in serious hot water.