Comfort first, books second.

Out and about crossing school supplies off of an endless list. This and the crick in
my neck got me to thinking:

What supplies/tools are a must for you booksellers, home-office dwellers, desk-set uponers.?

Making the work environment pleasant and comfortable is important, so a favorite
mug or a radio might be a good start.. but more pressing for me today:

Physical comfort (think: ergonomic mice.. do I sound 80?)

and

Organization/utility of space

I just bought a comfort gel wrist support mousepad from ebay,
for the last month I've been resting my little wristbones on 'An Introduction to Greek'.
A sad commentary on my priorities, I realize..

A Starbucks handle bag propped up for easy sticker/schnitzel/booklint tossing.

An index card box for passwords and tips, codes and notes that I want handy.

In the next week I would like a cup FULL of sharpened pencils and new, smooth
pens, (see how easy I am to please?) and my favorite Mars Staetler white eraser
in MULTIPLES (sicpress.com here I come Joyce)

Yours?

Ephemera, anyone?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/07/27/ansel.adams.discovery/index.html?hpt=Sbin

Kindle/ipad battle? Um.. no.

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/07/26/read-on.html

Lately I've been hearing more and more 'Kindle is the reason for the slow booksales season' .. and quite frankly it makes me want to yell. Or at least shake my head in a disapproving fashion. Bit of eye roll and all.

If you've a brick and mortar store, then yes, kindle is stomping on your popular fiction toes, but why an educated, in-the-biz online bookseller would consider kindle the reason for lackluster sales is .. a bit sad.

Change your model, change your mindset, change your inventory. Read, research and analyze this business for the short and long haul, then do whatever necessary to ensure your growth and relevance in the industry.

Death and taxes, eh? If Suffering looms with certainty, does Bliss promise itself as dutifully? One can hope. The nature of life and death shall have to wait, as of now it's taxes on the forefront of this mortal's mind.

I recently heard a wise and well-known woman teach that we should be thankful for our bills, yes we should actually see them as blessings, for they are (symbolically) a sign that we can be trusted by the universe to remit payment. Hmm.. I kinda like this. Come, forces of social governing, and tax me as I smile!!

The jury is still out on the equations:

Starbucks = lunch

Costco Kettle Corn popcorn = office supplies.

Next stop, Bliss.

Read all about it..

http://www.finebooksmagazine.com/issue/201004/index.phtml