Oversleeping, Writing and Books

This morning I overslept.  For some reason, my internal alarm clock decided the arbitrary, self-imposed time that I always arise was irrelevant.  It isn't the time change.  I was adjusted to it before it even occurred.  It's just that now, when I wake up it is time to get up rather than an hour before the clock says it's time.

The thing about oversleeping is that it usually leaves me in a bit of a fog.  For some reason, my mind isn't as clear and it is more difficult to write so, once again I turn to the book of "300 Writing Prompts" for ideas.  The one this morning is easy.  Perhaps too easy, because the answer is simple and will require very few words.  The question is:  "You have been given $100 on the condition that you must spend it all on yourself.  What will you do with your money?"

I will buy books.

Books are my indulgence.

I have books everywhere.  Few are unread.  There are at least ten that have a bookmark in them where I am in the midst of reading them.  Most of the time I pick up a book and read it to the end before starting another, but occasionally, there is a book that I begin and then for some reason find myself needing to read something different for awhile.  I almost always go back to the book and read more in it until I eventually finish it, but sometimes it may take me a year or, more.

If I didn't enjoy the book on some level, I would either trash it, or give it away or put it on the shelf to gather dust.  I have done both -- trash one or give it away -- maybe a couple of times within memory.  Even books with which I disagree, or which include elements I find distasteful, I will read to completion.  I want to understand the strangeness of some minds just as I want to understand my own.

Some of the "classics" take me a long time to read.  I take them in small doses rather than trying to consume them all at once.  Sometimes I wonder why they are considered classics.  Others considered "classics" have stronger appeal to me and I read them as I would a modern military thriller such as a Tom Clancy novel.  Somewhat strangely, I enjoy Russian authors such as Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.  That's depressing.  Most Russian writing is ponderous and depressing.

Well, so much for what I would do with the money.  If it wasn't for the requirement that I must spend it on myself, I would probably do many other things with it.  Most likely I would just tuck it in my billfold and slowly use it over the course of time on small items here and there.  I still prefer the old way of paying cash for small purchases rather than using plastic.  Partly, that is because I pay the credit card bill.  We save every receipt and I check them off against the statement when we get it.  I hate seeing charges for $2 or $3 on there.

I do think this post has helped me to decide what I want to do today.  Maybe a trip into Dallas to a bookstore....