Summertime cleaning is underway.
Recently I’ve gotten back to putting several products worth (some) value on eBay. This is in an effort to declutter my life, and earn a little extra scratch on top of that. Not everything I own is valuable. So many things picked up are disposable. They lose any sort of value right away, which makes selling them online not worth collecting the pennies and dollars over them.
It’s times like these where I appreciate turning digital a few years ago. A Bookbub enters my email. I read through it, see a book that looked promising, and then buy it on my Nook. My Nook collection is over 180 titles. Combine that with over 100 on my Kindle, the dozen or so books on my Kobo account, and the collection I have on Smashwords, and you have more books than you know what to do with. And that says nothing about the physical books stacked on top of one another in the house.
But my Nook never gets heavier. A few years ago I had to reorganize my books. It was on that day I vowed never to do it again.
Going digital wasn’t that hard. I mean, I’ve already done it in several areas of my life already. Netflix and Hulu make sure I’m not storing a stack of Blu-Rays for films I never truly cared for. There are 197 titles on my Steam account, and 147 on my GOG account (Huzzah for no DRM!). I listen to music through my phone.
That isn’t to say I no longer buy physical things. There’s a nice copy of Blade Runner 2049 sitting on a stand. I collect all things Lupin the 3rd when Discotek releases a new DVD. Some comics never made the Comixology jump. So yeah, I still collect ‘stuff’, but these are objects with more sentimental value.
This still-sealed limited edition of Stranger of Sword City gives me no sentimentality whatsoever. Also you can buy it on Steam for $10 when it’s on sale.
Digital has given me more freedom, space, and saved me quite a bit of money too. It also helped me see what is valuable. Truly valuable. Books is one of those things I consider always a worthy investment. It’s difficult to say that with games, movies, or even music. The minimal startup costs associated with a book (time and a computer) make it far more accessible to experience a more diverse and interesting spectrum than other mediums.
Which is a reason I carry my Nook everywhere with me. It’s the reason I read comics on a tablet now. If Marvel didn’t loss lead with Gwenpool Vol 1, I may not have ever read it. And what I would have missed out on!
Just my thoughts on the matter. The past week or so I wake up a few hours earlier due to my body learning a new sleep schedule (???). This has allowed me to catch up on some much needed reading due to the Nook Glowlight 3’s night mode when it’s pitch black outside. Easy on the eyes and easing up on the backlog.