Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Broken Borders

Wish I could say my absence was because I was abducted by a space alien and I was just returned home after months of human experiments. But nothing so grandeur. I just fell out of the habit due to a splash of activity and never got back in the saddle. There is probably a deep seated psychological explanation, but I'm not smart enough to figure that out. I do know that even though I wasn't sketching, I was viewing the world in terms of what would make a good sketch. I'm addicted. So here I am again.

Border's Book Store is going under. That's old news to anyone not living under a rock. As a family we like to shop book stores. Each of us may have a favorite but we like them all. In most towns in Kansas we don't have multiple choices in each city of the BIG book stores. Take out a BIG store and it changes things like family traditions. When we visit Lawrence, we usually hit Border's. Guess now we won't. We'll still have our independent book stores, but things will be different.

15 comments:

MaryO said...

Howdy stranger! You've been missed. I sympathize with you on the loss of your book store. We lost our local independent one recently and I'm still mourning that one! Don't have any at all nearby so I'm keeping Amazon afloat.....

winna said...

I seem to recall Waldens being quite sad for me--it was the closest but I still had to go out of town...now that I get used to that divorce--along come this Border's break up...you have been missed muchily....glad you're back for now anyway....good illustrated read as always

Cheryl Gebhart said...

Hey John - welcome back! Glad you're journaling again - I've missed you. At least you still have independent book stores - we lost ours YEARS ago so all we have is Hastings (and Amazon).

Claire M said...

Nice to hear from you again. Several of us have slowed down or gotten out of the journaling habit. I'm still trying to get some momentum for 2011.

Lynn Logan Roselli said...

It is sad to see the old bookstore go under due to digital book. Borders Book is going under in New York City as well. I love Borders because I could sit with a book, read a couple of pages to see if it's right for me. I could people watch, sketch and enjoy a good cup of coffee. Now, digital book makes the whole process so isolating.

All and all I am glad your back!!!

Barbara B said...

Your comments and page are great. Thanks for the reminder to get over to the local Borders before it finally closes the doors. I like your eclectic purchases.

Anonymous said...

John, it's so nice to see you back!! We lost a nearby Borders also. I hated to see them go, it seems first the big stores gobble up the little ones then they merge or close until there is only one choice in town. It happened to the health food stores here and now to the bookstores, sigh. Sad subject, but a wonderful sketch documenting it.

Elena (Pelusa) said...

Hi! I love your sketchbook! This is what I tried to do with mine, but I'm not so organized as you're...
Congrats!

Sandy said...

I missed you ( and worried a bit) I love book stores too, but things are a changin!

Kate (Cathy Johnson) said...

John, so sorry to hear that. I hate for any bookstore to go, I love them too! Love your sketch, though, and welcome back.

john.p said...

Thanks to everyone for stopping by. I had a thought that maybe nobody would stop by and I'd need to start from scratch to rebuild my readership and friends. I feel better now. It's nice to know there's some continuity in the blogger-sphere. Thanks.

Unknown said...

I hate that so many bookstores are closing! Glad to see you posting again!

Vicky L. Williamson said...

I'm already missing Borders and, like you and Wilma, we overspent when we went to say goodbye. Bill got novels, I got art books, we chose some for a grandchild, and stocked up on their coffee. Sad.

Happy you are posting again though.

Barbara said...

You're BACK!! I'm a little slow, I just noticed. I am so glad, John. This just makes my day!

tyanne said...

glad to see you back. It is sad to see borders go, although I am more of a b&n girl. Even though as a nook owner, I am part of the problem actual brick and mortar stores will be missed. Like the sketch as always.