My name is Millie and I am addicted… to reading.
You’d think this wouldn’t be something I’d be ashamed of… and I’m not really – but I do have a problem.
Reading has been a passion of mine since I could remember. I love books and books love me. My favorite place is the library or bookstore. Amazon.com – my downfall.
You’d think that my parents would love that I read all the time… but no, they didn’t. Why? Because reading to me meant I didn’t do my chores. I would get distracted. I won’t tell you of the time that the kitchen got set on fire because I wasn’t paying attention to what I was cooking because I was too busy reading.
Oooops.
I can go to the library and get 10 books and be finished within a week. I’ve learned to not start a book right before bed because I’ll stay up all night finishing it. I hate putting down a book before it’s been finished.
I used to collect books. I still have tons of books, but not nearly as many since I’ve moved so many times. And I read everything. I don’t discriminate against books. I do however have a guilty pleasure of reading romance novels. Who doesn’t love a good love story? I’ve read all the Harry Potter books, the Twilight series, Lord of the Rings, Sookie Stackhouse, Chronicles of Narnia, Jane Austen, Shakespeare, all of Dan Brown books… I’ve read a lot of books.
But it is a serious addiction. Once I finish a book and if I like it, I’ll find more books by that author and I have to read them. Like now. And sometimes I don’t have the patience to wait. Actually… it’s not sometimes, it’s I never have the patience to wait and see if it’s available at the library.
Recently for Christmas, I got an Amazon gift card and I used it to buy a Kindle. Worst purchase ever. I have the kindle on my computer and also on my iphone – where were both free downloads. I’d buy kindle books – and read them at my leisure – but it’s had to read on the computer and iphone. But I didn’t do it all the time. But now I have a Kindle that easily fits into my purse and I take it everywhere. And since I take public transportation to work, it makes it that much easier to read on the go. Especially since I don’t have to worry about taking my heavy books with me.
But I looked at my spending through Mint.com – and I’ve bought 51 Kindle ebooks since July! 51! How is that possible? Okay, I know that it’s possible, but I’m blown away that I bought that many books. And that’s just e-books. That doesn’t include all the actual paperback book purchases I’ve made nor all the books I’ve loaned from the library.
Seriously, I have a problem. 51 books. And I’ve read them all.
It’s gotten a bit worse with the Kindle – and I’ve already spent $50 this month alone on e-books. I need to stop reading so much.
I mean, it’s not like I read all the time. I do have a life – but 45 minutes of public transportation each morning and evening – and of course time before I go to bed – means a lot of time to read.
I need to find a cure… anyone know of a way to curb my addiction? I’m not going to stop reading all together.. I however need to curb my spending habits on books. I’ve set a budget for only $30 a month on books.
Is that fair? My friend Jamie said I should do $15 -since that is about the price of one book or about the price of two e-books. But we’ll see… I do know I won’t be making any more book purchases this month! Good thing I’m halfway through January!
I need to stop being such a nerd.
New Modern Millie 