It's like watching a good friend die a slow, painful death.
A bastion of knowledge, entertainment, and friggin' civilization is about to go the way of the T-Rex. In case you didn't know, Borders Books is going out of business. This past Saturday, I went to my nearby Borders store and indulged in one last book-buying spree. The books were getting fewer and fewer by the day, with no fresh ones to replace them. Their overpriced-coffee station had already been taken apart and closed. Even more depressing was that I found more interesting books than I could afford to buy.
It's depressing to get cut off from a such a useful source of entertainment and/or information. Yeah, there are libraries, e-readers, and Amazon.com . . . but who cares? There's something simple and relaxing about plunging into a jungle of book shelves to hunt for a worthy book or two. I've bought hundreds of books from Borders over the years and enjoyed doing so.
Guess I'll have to adapt. 'Cause Barnes & Noble can kiss my a$$. I might browse their shelves but I'll never shop there again. "Helping" a huge competitor (like Borders) out of business is one thing. But to let all of those branches shut down's just wrong. Borders didn't do it to Walden Books. And maybe it was just a matter of bottom-line profits and feasibility. But bookstores are like churches to me. And these literary "cathedrals" are all on fire as I type. What a waste.
But hey, that's life.
So, I'll hunt for sites that spout out new releases (bye-bye Borders' "New Releases" stack).
I'll go on-line and look for nice books I've never heard of (versus the triumph at finding something good in the horror aisle).
And I'll keep a positive attitude about this transitional nature of the publishing business (sniff).
The one silver lining to this nightmare's that it makes you appreciate what's around you. I could expand that to people, but I'm no stranger to that kind of loss. I am a stranger to seeing a cool institution/business just fade away. Imagine a world without Blockbusters stores and you'll . . . wait, never mind.
Ahem: imagine a world without movie theatres. Seems impossible. But with Netflix and the rising costs of movies/snacks, such a notion seems sadly plausible. I've seen a few theaters close or change hands multiple times.
Look around you and wonder . . . what could become obsolete some day? If it's something you like, something vulnerable to changing times, enjoy it while you can and don't take it for granted. It could be gone next month.
Adios, readers.
Adios, old Friend.
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