penfold_x | (no subject)

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*

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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.

^^^^^^

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

^^^^^^ 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!

^^^^^^ 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.

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

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