• Fifteen years ago, I moved into my first apartment in Chicago. Damn, that makes me feel old. In a couple more years, I will have lived in the city longer than in the house where I grew up.
  


• Last year, Half Price Books had a 20% off sale all weekend. My wife was out of town, and I visited every Half Price Books location in Chicagoland (then four, now five). Although I didn't spend that much money, I ended up with a ridiculous haul -- at least 35 books, maybe even 45. I had so many bags that I stashed a few of them where my wife wouldn't see them because I was embarrassed by the sheer volume. Much as hiding a whiskey bottle is evidence of a drinking problem, that episode made it clear that I was out of control. The memory of that weekend inspired my New Years resolution to finish more books than I acquire.

This Labor Day weekend, I intended to have a big "Chicago weekend" and do a bunch of things in the city to celebrate my 15 years here. At the same time, Half Price Books had another 20% off storewide sale.

For better or worse, I didn't do much of anything last weekend. Rather than focus on how lame I am for not really celebrating my Chicagoversary, I'll take pride in announcing that not only did I sit out the Half Price Books sale, but I also resisted the urge to redeem a Borders coupon good for 40% off one book. Instead, I devoted several hours to increasing my six-book margin, still chipping away at that pile of books amassed a year ago. While cleaning, I also found my receipt from Powell's Books in 2007, a truly epic shopping experience.

Current tally: 68 books finished, 62 books acquired

Labels: Book Challenge 2009, Chicago

- posted by David Johnsen @ 11:04 PM