Book Fair - Sights, Sounds & Repurcusions

47 books, aching limbs, a gaping hole in the wallet and a full and singing heart. These are the repurcussions.

Trudging around the bookfair with so may books hanging on my arms. I feel biceps & triceps coming up on my arms already. 

Sights, sounds and not to mention the smells, well there are many.

Overcrowded beyond belief, its fair to assume that even less than 50% of the people who attend actually read. Apart from the people who actually read, people who attend the book fair belong to several general catogories. I shall list them down, for your general understanding;

1. The entourage - Parents, uncles, aunties, cousins, great uncles & great aunties who accompany a single kid who is there to buy a single book. And that too an O/L exam papers book.

2. The party-goers - Where there's something happening, they are there! Doesn't matter whether its a book fair, geek meet or a funeral, if its famous, they want to be there. Usually seen sitting under a tree, slurping on a cup of maggie noodles or eating elephant house ice cream while chatting to one another quite loudly. 

3. Romeos - These are genuine romantics, searching for their soulmates amongst the sweaty frantic crowds who hussle about in the heat. Generally, they do not have any interest in books. Unless a girl is holding it.

4. Don Juans - Well, rather aggressive & creepy Don Juans and not even an ounce as good looking. They creep up to you, whispering foul somethings in your ear and try to get a cop up. They do not have ANY interest in books. Even if a girl is holding one. Unless she is holding it by her boobs.

5. Pseudo-intellectuals - Thinks being seen at the book fair makes them seem intelligent. Usually seen wearing artsy cotton garb, reaching for the biggest and the heaviest looking books on the shelves. Holding it for a few seconds, release on to the shelf. Hold & release. Hold & release. Repeat until noticed. 

...........and the list goes on.

While it is great to see the crowd's enthusiasm in the bookfair, its heartbreaking that those who are actually there for the books have no way of browsing at leisure and making purchases because of the throngs. There should be some kind of a control, maybe a higher priced entrance ticket (Rs 100-200 maybe?) that can be redeemed at any stall when purchasing books from there? I think that should keep the unwanted crowd (ones whose purpose in coming there are not books) at bay.

Sounds - Women yapping away blocking the isles, gossiping about this one and that, teenagers squealing over the 50 shades of crap or quarelling over the last copy of the New Moon, lovers' quarrels, mothers/aunts/uncles on phones to their children/nieces/nephews informing that they are at the bookfair and inquiring whether there was anything they needed, sound of falling books, flipping pages, ah this is hardly a quiet place.

Smells - Sweat, strong perfumes, popcorn, mixture of perfume & sweat, hotdogs, maggi noodles overpowering the smell of new books and the refreshing scent of new pages being flipped which wafts by to the delight of your nose every once in a while.

Anyhow, it was shocking to see how the prices of books have gone up over the last year. And the discounts were a joke. Expographics played the foulest methinks, with an alleged 10% "discount". There, I heaped my arms up with books and took it to the counter.No discount was given to the said books and when asked, I was told that the prices marked were after the discount has been given. I was furious as the prices, or rather the "discounted prices" were much higher than the prices offered elsewhere, but there was nothing to be done as the books have already been billed. Well, that is the LAST time that Expographics will see me. 

Anyways, bookfair should introduce shopping carts. Otherwise, a few more years of trudging around with books hanging off every limb, I'm sure we will turn into brown versions of the Incedible Hulk pretty darn soon.

I'm sure in a couple more years, reading will be a rich man's hobby and a poor man's luxury. Pity really. Coz rich men are usually not really interested in or don't really have much time for reading.

 The post is long due, but better late than never they say. Its the weekend and I'm determined to milk it to the max. Saturday morning. I'm buried in books, my rooms a mess and me, a happy, happy girl. Life is good :)

Happy Girl

Heading towards the bookfair tomorrow. Can hardly contain myself!!!

Yesterday the vehicle queue was SO bad that I was forced to back down and retreat from the BMICH entrance, knowing that if getting in was THIS hard, getting a peek at the books even sideways wouldn't be an option. Unless there were more vehicles than there were people. Which seems to be the case in the country these days anyway.

It was with some effort that I controlled myself today. The desire to head that way was so great that I found it hard to stay still. Something is very wrong with me when it comes to books (not that I'm alright otherwise). The mere thought of books turns my knees into butter and my heart flutters a hundred million times. Could this be love? 

Well, I've realized of late that I'm a very happy girl. Love, support and warmth surround me in the form of a loving, doting family and a lover/partner in crime with a beautiful soul who are the pillars on which I build my world. I take every day as it comes, accepting, adopting, adapting which is easy when I have the pillars on which to lean on, for I know that this is solid ground. With such pillars, who gives a flying rat's tiny flea about other stuff? Money, career, future and the rest are just que sera sera.

I am one of the very few who found solid footing on firm hard land whereas many others are deceived by the debris that float their way, mistake it for reliable ground and drown in the process of trying to stand upon it. I on the other hand am either blessed or just wise in that sense.

Live life carefree. Make the ones that matter to you happy which in turn will bring a smile to your own face. Help when you can, who you can, the act of which will make you glow from the inside. Its living that matters. Not hoarding, not wanting more and more.

Well I thought I'd take some time to thank the universe for my many blessings for a change. Grouching, complaining, whining and grumbling can continue from tomorrow onwards.

But for today, I am a very happy girl.

And book fairrrr!! Half day tomorrow and hopefully the after lunch time slot will be relatively peaceful. EXCITED!!  :D

Book Fairrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

The book fair is right around the corner and I JUST CANNOT WAIT!

Halls and halls of, stalls and stalls of, rows and rows of books! Sigh.......... Bliss! :)

Wandering through the alleyways flanked left right and centre with books, air perfumed with that special smell unique to those entire worlds trapped between pages, once you enter these halls you at once feel dizzy with the possibilities that lay bare right before you. Should you charge head on like a bull on to this world or tread delicately, savouring every step, every breath taken in this overwhelming atmosphere, you are confused. Which way to look, which way to turn, simple gestures and sense of direction all become muddled in your head, because you want it all! You want to devour it all in one single gulp! But as your impatience rightly whispers in your ear, you just cannot do so.

One trip to the car after the other, just dumping my loot in the boot of the vehicle, securing the goods only to shimmy right back into the lair for some more. Emerging arms, elbows and bags full of goodies. Sigh..... I am insatiable.

Going home is always a treat. Heading homewards while in your head, there is a mound of yummylicious goodies to be devoured in the backseat that you just cannot wait to caress, to smell and to flip through. The feeling is exhilerating. 

I know from experience, that September is not a good month for my wallet. But it IS  a good month for my face. I go cross eyed from looking at all those books, neck croocked from trying to read the bookspines at an angle, and my face muscles are permanently stretched in a goofy smile. Well, can't complain. Good facial exercise I'd say.

14th being a Saturday, I think I should probably head that way on that immediate Monday  to avoid the crowds. The worst day to visit the book fair is on its starting day. The following day doesn't do much to help either. Monday would probably be the best, the third day being a work day and cozily in the middle. I guess a leave is due. Or a half day. Probably.

Went for my first Poetry P'lau today. A very pleasant experience. Good poetry, good conversation, not to mention really awesome coffee. I dare say there is a big chance that I would be heading that way the next time too.

Its late and I've just finished my second cup of tea for the night. Sleep is no where near, however a book is near that demands attention. Therefore, I shalt now to my book!