Over the past few weeks, I’ve visited two amazing bookstores. The first was Green Apple in SF’s Richmond District. I love this place probably more for nostalgic reasons than anything else, but also for its rough charm, creaky floors and handwritten signs. Then there’s Powell’s in Portland, an unpretentious monster that claims to be the world’s (yes, WORLD’S!) largest independent new and used bookstore. Oh how I love going into independent bookstores, which always seem to have mazes of aisles, just the right amount of clutter and personality – all of which are lacking in the big box bookstores. And the smaller the store, the creakier the shelves and floors seem to be. The best ones are those with tight aisles and wooden shelves that threaten to fall over if you shove a book too firmly back into place.

Despite my awe of bookstores, I left both of these places empty-handed (well, except for a toddler t-shirt from Green Apple), but empty-handed in terms of books. I entered the bookstores hoping to come out with an exciting new book, but each time, I choked when faced with options.

Unless I have a specific book in mind, I tend to get overwhelmed in bookstores. It’s usually hard for me to focus once inside because my eyes are wandering faster than my feet. My first stop is usually the sale section, where I might spot something interesting – but not interesting enough for me to buy it. My second stop might be the reference section, where I read spine after spine of writing and grammar books. Several of them might sound interesting…but how do I know they’re worth my money or my time? I would be taking a huge risk if I just bought a random book without knowing what other people said about it!

Even if I found a book that I thought was worth my time, I’m just too frugal to buy a brand-new book. Even used books could cost as much as a new book, depending on the store. And as much as I want to support indy bookstores, let’s all be honest and say that amazon.com will usually get you a better deal. So do I pay $15 for a used book, or do I opt for the “Like New” version from amazon.com for $6, including shipping? I’m the type of person who compares the price per ounce or pound between brands when I go grocery shopping, so you could guess where I buy my books.

Over the years, I’ve drastically reduced the number of books I buy. After moving so many times over the past 10 or so years, I’ve realized that – aside from furniture – boxes of books are the heaviest things to move. I’ve purged a lot of my books, which pains me every time. Each book has a memory – of whoever gave it to me, where I bought it, what the content makes me think of. But over time, I’ve only kept books that I really enjoy, could see myself reading again or are good reference books for the future. Real estate on my bookshelf is precious, so I need to make sure the books I have are ones that mean something to me.

I used to spend a lot of time in bookstores – reading magazines or sitting among the shelves reading books I was too cheap to buy. In college, I worked at Learningsmith, which was located right next to a Waldenbooks (or something like that). Sometimes during my breaks, I’d go to the bookstore, sit on the floor and read. I think I even kept a bookmark in the book that I was reading so I could always pick up where I left off. But now, I go to bookstores less and less, for the reasons I mentioned above. I still read a lot – but my books always come from the library. If I like a book enough, I’ll buy it – but never at full price.

This whole post may sound like I actually dislike bookstores because they overwhelm me and charge more than I’d like to spend. But that’s not the case. What I get most out of bookstores is inspiration. When I’m browsing through the reference section – even while I’m feeling overwhelmed – I’m also inspired and excited to be a better writer, to have a stronger vocabulary, to write more often, or to revisit the rules of grammar that we once learned and forgot. Or I walk through the section of classics and think about how I need to read more of these books that are classics for a reason – either for their subject, writing style or both. Bookstores make me want to become a better, smarter, more well-rounded person. And even though I leave empty-handed, the inspiration that I’ve gained is priceless.

Over the weekend, Matt and I visited one of his college/church friends who is now living in Portland. We checked out an art fair, which seemed more interesting on the website than in person. It was incredibly crowded, and it was a hot day. (Californians, don’t laugh – 90 degrees is hot when you live in the Pacific Northwest!) The best part about the art fair was buying an overpriced sno-cone ($5 for ice and syrup?!) and eating it in the shade.

The second best part was stumbling upon this illustrator. He’s illustrated children’s books, but his work also appeals to adults. I feel like I could easily get lost in his drawings. There are visual elements to enjoy, but the emotions behind the drawings take me deeper… into my memories and my imagination.

Of the work in his gallery, I’d say my faves are: Date Night, Snow Giraffe, Lurking and Davey’s Dream.

What do you guys think?

The first time we met in person, Matt told me that he wasn’t romantic. He set my expectations really low, but he’s managed to surprise me several times. Sometimes I wish he’d verbalize his emotions more, but over the years, I’ve learned that he’s more expressive with his actions than his words. 

A few nights ago, toward the end of the workday, he said he had a surprise for me. I asked him if I’d like the surprise, and he said, “I think so.” As we left the office, I tried to get more information from him. “Is this a surprise like, ‘Surprise, we’re going to work on the yard all night?’” He replied, “Maybe, maybe not.” Hmm… 

He drove us to Chinatown where we had dinner at the Uwajimaya food court. Already, the night was turning out well, because it meant I didn’t have to cook dinner. Always a bonus for me! At first I thought maybe Matt got tickets to a Sounders game, since we’ve been wanting to go to a game. But then I saw a lot of people wearing Mariners gear – so I suspected he got free last-minute tix to a baseball game. I wasn’t quite as excited, but also didn’t complain. I certainly didn’t want to discourage any future surprise date nights! But I really was convinced that we were going to spend the night watching baseball. 

After dinner, we drove past the stadium and into downtown Seattle. As Matt parked near Benaroya Hall, I suspected we were going to a performance there – maybe of the symphony? But we walked away from Benaroya Hall and into The Triple Door, a small bar/lounge/concert venue. I think Matt wanted to keep the performer a secret for as long as possible, but as we were ushered past the check-in desk, I scanned the calendar of events for any recognizable names. One immediately jumped out – Lisa Loeb. 

I still don’t know how Matt found out Lisa was performing, but I was really excited and touched that he got tickets for us to see her. I’ve seen her a handful of times since high school, and have always enjoyed her performances. She tends to play in small venues, and always seems like she’s just playing to a bunch of friends. She’s very casual, approachable, witty and just plain fun. 

After her set, we hung out near the back of the venue, and asked her to sign one of her children’s CDs. And, after all these years, I finally got a picture with her! 

Thanks to some sneaky relatives, this isn’t the only surprise that I’ve had within the last week, but I’ll have to save that for another post…