(no subject)

[penfold_x]

I've got some free time today (yay national holidays!) and I've given myself permission to fill it with reading. I've looked over my list of unread stories (or stories I read so long ago that I forgot what's in them), realized that several of them are in zines I own, and thought it might be a nice change of pace to put down the laptop (or the printout) and read from an actual book. Except, I've got a bit of a sickness about my zine collection: I used to buy and read and love and wear, and then one day I looked at the formerly beautiful cover of Gateways 2 and thought "Ack! I'm an abusive owner! Someone stop me before I kill again!" I've also become something of a stickler for the original printing (which tends to be more attractive and interesting than reprints), so over the past few years I've been searching out original print copies, in the best condition I can find, and trading away my worn or reprinted versions.

Which all leads to this morning, when I pulled out my copy of Kate Neurnberg's Buffy zine, Give Blood 2, which I found a perfect (apparently unread) copy of a few years ago. I fully intended to re-read it (the website is down but you can still find it, thank you wayback machine), and sat with it on my lap, trying to make myself open to the first story... Then realized I couldn't bear to risk creasing the cover (an absolutely lovely portrait of Giles by Kate), which would be an almost inevitable effect of the screw binding.

Perhaps the old laptop isn't so cold and impersonal after all. *headdesk*

Comments

[neadods.livejournal.com]

This is why I always took apart the zines whose covers I thought were too pretty.

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

You're onto something there. Another friend told me she did this a lot too, and it would certainly be useful for scanning in art (I have a ton of it from a load of zines that I'd love to save), but I'm also afraid I'll damage it when I try to put it back together. I think I'll need to practice on an old reprint or two before I risk something that I really love.

I resolved my dilemma by pulling out a zine with comb binding that I could easily lay against a pillow and not worry about too much. ;)

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I didn't put them back together. I had my own comb-binder left over from the zine publishing days, and unless the zine was perfect from end to end, I gutted them, putting the good covers in a scrapbook and binding only the stories I liked into frankenzines.

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

*is appalled*

...

*stares at evil, zine-shredding monster*

Or you could do that.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

If it makes you feel better, it isn't completely true that I gutted them all.

...just the ones where I liked less than 50% of the page count and couldn't find a buyer.

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

^^^^^^ Hello, neadods, as icons representing fictional characters who are librarians, authors, researchers or other book lovers, we’d like to take a minute to talk with you about the importance of respecting your reading materials.

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

We’ve heard disturbing reports that you’ve been unbinding your zines, throwing out the stories you don’t care for and binding up the rest in some unnatural, mutant zine.

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

^^^^^^

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

^^^^^^ Aren't you an author yourself, young lady? Humph. Blasted suffragettes!

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

^^^^^^ I pretend I don’t read (despite the fact there are extensive written exams involved in the FBI application and training process) and even I know that’s wrong. Doesn't take a squint to see that!

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

^^^^^^ But, books help you save people and kill evil things! Even my dad, who didn't want me to waste my time on a college education, respected the books. And have you seen Bobby's house? Wall to ceiling books.

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

^^^^^^ Books help you while away eternity in a suitably erudite fashion.

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

^^^^^^ Books help you chronicle your best friend’s daring adventures!

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

^^^^^^ Look, sweetheart, only evil demons and sociopaths don’t respect their books.

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

^^^^^^ It’s true. I dog-ear pages, break bindings, and take first editions into the bath. Mwahahahah!

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

^^^^^^ Now, I know that not everyone has all of time and space to store their personal library, but have you considered donating some of your unwanted books? Or investing in a good set of dimensionally transcendental bookcases?

... I suppose, what I’m trying to say is, respect your books.

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

^^^^^^ Respect your books!

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

^^^^^^ Respect your books!

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

^^^^^^ Respect your books!

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

^^^^^^ Are we done yet?

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

^^^^^^ Nearly. Now, please Nea, for the sake of future generations, respect your books. There’s a good girl.

Don’t make us... correct you.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Rather than repeating myself to every icon, I'm just going to point out to you two watchers that a book != a zine, and that anyone who has paid the price of a hardcover pro book for a fanzine and gotten something that is full of OOC characters, typos, and grammatical mistakes is not obligated to enshrine the whole thing and might as well extract the only portions of entertainment that are worth their money. Someday ask me about the zine in which - after I bought it - I discovered an editorial saying that "true fans" didn't "nitpick" about such things.

The two full bookcases of original zines in their original bindings are fairly adequate evidence that I didn't gut 'em all. (You're local. You're welcome to come inspect the evidence. :))

And in the meantime, I strongly support the local library, Bookcrossing, and have not only donated hundreds of books to The Book Thing charity, but convinced individuals and charities to donate several carloads of books.

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

The two full bookcases of original zines in their original bindings are fairly adequate evidence that I didn't gut 'em all. (You're local. You're welcome to come inspect the evidence. :))

And in the meantime, I strongly support the local library, Bookcrossing, and have not only donated hundreds of books to The Book Thing charity, but convinced individuals and charities to donate several carloads of books.

I believe you, I believe you! I was really just going for funny--I looked at my icons, realized that a disproportionate number of them featured books, librarians, authors, etc., and suddenly a conversation popped into my mind. Kind of a fourth-wall breaking, bizarre cross between an intervention and one of those "Reading is Fundamental" posters. I thought it would be amusing, but clearly it just came off as offensive and haranguing. I'm sorry.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

It was funny the first couple of times...

It's okay. Pax?

(And would you believe that I don't have one single librarian or reading icon at the moment except this one? That is So. Wrong!)

[chevronsha.livejournal.com]

ya know,


they have a nice medicine for that

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

Oh, I think I'm beyond all help, don't you? ;)

[goldiebug.livejournal.com]

LOL at this whole thread, Penfold!! I got it, and loved it! Well done! I am impressed with your store of reader-friendly icons. (said the person who's too lazy to ever make herself a new icon)

[penfold-x.livejournal.com]

Hee! Thank you! My brain kind of went on a little trip of its own. But it's back in its normal place now (and at least 42% less likely to cause offense). :P