Monday, June 23, 2008

Painting & Used Books


When painting a straight line you don't look at your brush. You look at where you want the line to end. Then your hand (and the tip of the brush) will go there. Easy. One straight line.
While painting last night I forgot this little rule. Then it came back. Oh yeah, eyes on the goal, not the process.
That made me think about other goals.
In five days I'm unemployed and I face this mixed emotions.
-More time to write!
-Scary money issues...
-Time to paint!
-More scary money issues (I have no idea how unemployment works.)
-I have control of my life!
- um...or do I?
So my daughter and I were talking about working, high unemployment and the slumping economy. And she suggested combining our love of books with work by opening a used book store.
Questions: Would you/do you go to a used book store? Are there any in your area? Have you ever visited a used book store?
I found this one on the net. It looks like fun.

3 comments:

Erica Orloff said...

I sometimes go through used bookstores looking for old volumes of favorites, like Daphne Du Maurier. And there is one used bookstore down the road. BUT . . . in general, I think used bookstores really depend on their stock. I have been in several that I thought just sucked (like the one up the road) . . . they were crappy old junky paperbacks that were dated. I.e., frankly, I don't think Harlequins from 20 years ago "age" well. They're dated. They're not modern. I'm not talking historicals, I'm talking "contemporaries" that no longer feel like contmeporaries. So I feel like the used bookstores that specialize a bit, or their inventory is really neat--hardcovers, older editions, those are fun. I also think used children's books age well--if they aren't dliapidated. I.e., who doesn't want to snatch up an old Trixie Beldon of the Nancy Drew of childhood, just to have it or to give to their child? Arthouse books are fun. I've even known interior designers to haunt used bookstores for cheap copies of photography books that can be cut apart and certain pictures framed.

So it's a qualified "it depends."
E

Zoe Winters said...

I love used book stores. And I agree with Erica that it depends on the selection.

Spy Scribbler said...

Okay, but it's gotta have your paintings up all over the walls, all artsy and stuff, with room for writers to sit down and write. And it needs creaky floorboards and the smell of books and lots of old wood cabinetry.

And tons of books. Piled high, overflowing from the shelves, everywhere.

Oh ... your bookstore. Okay. Um, YES! I keep harboring a dream of working in a bookstore.

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