Our CWH coffee hour "Cuppa Joe" segment can be a rambling cornucopia of the things pinballing in our brains. That was the case today, where we tried to guess the word imagined in 
We also got into libraries, and in particular, the books we have on our shelves. When the topic of lending out books was raised, the group immediately polarized, whic hwas not completely unexpected. You see, our books often reflect parts of ourselves, our discoveries, and the journey we've chosen through life. For some, it's all about willingly sharing that, like a batch of freshly baked cookies, while looking for common threads between us. Savoring the known, while also discovering the subtleties that make us unique.
For others, it was a definite no. An absolute. It would be as personal as letting someone borrow our underwear.
I'm more of a sharer, although I've learned that I need to keep track of where they went. There have been books and music recordings I value that I've had to pry back. And whether it's books, power tools, or kitchenware, I have a strict one-and-done rule. If you fail to return something as agreed, you're on the sh*t list, with little chance of redemption.
The photo is part of my living room bookcase. There's a lot of classic works there, and I visit them from time to time. Then there's the books atop my computer table, a combination of resource and diversional.
The resources include
Schaum's Guide to Calculus
Introduction to Microwave Theory and Measurement
The Art of innovation
Wildflowers in the Santa Monica Mountains
The Fiction Writer's Sexuality Guide
while the diversional include
The Dilbert Principle
Motherlove's Cooking With Grass
Walking (by Thoreau)
And then, there's Stories From Grandpa. It's filled with prompts to create an autobiography for my grandchild. I love stepping away from the rigors of life to fill in one or two. Doing so frees my mind of all extraneous thought. I always come back refreshed and revived to take on whatever comes my way, in part because my entries are a reminder that I've overcome before, either alone or with friends, and can do it again.
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