I visited my local library today for the first time since moving to the new pad in Oct. It is slightly larger and less disheveled than my old library. Here is what’s annoying. The new library is called the Broadway branch — it is on Broadway and Steinway. But the old branch, on 31st and 21st, near Ditmars and nowhere near Steinway, is called the Steinway branch. That just pisses me off. There is another branch called the Astoria branch not too far from here, too. I’ll never have to worry if I have to drown my sorrows in the collected hardcover work of Danielle Steele.
I was there to collect 1040 forms, but wound up taking out this book — even though I am in the middle still of reading this book (which does indeed quite suck, but I am halfway through it) and this book (which has a quality). I actually searched for this book, this book (even though I have this and this sitting unread on my shelf by the same author) and, oddly, this book but none were there. (The last one must have been there, I just couldn’t find it and didn’t feel like asking for help.) I used to only ever read one book at a time — but this is actually a stupid rule. I find that my brain can handle multiple books at once, provided they are of differing genre.
My Queens library card was expired, so I had to get it renewed. I didn’t have any ID on me with my new address (I suppose I should update my driver’s license) and I kinda let it slip to the woman that I lived on such-and-such street. I gave her my outdated driver’s license and when she saw my old Queens address she was kinda snippy. “I need your new address!” I’m thinking, shit, all I want to do is take out a dopey paperback. “That is my address,” I said. She gave me a look. “It’s my office,” I continued. She rolled her eyes at me, sighed heavily, and had me fill out a form.
I hope my old Manhattan library card still works. I used to take VHS tapes out of the Mid-Manhattan Library on 40th St. when I worked nearby. I think I was doing that right up until 2002 or maybe even 2003 — even though I moved out of Manhattan in 1997. I suppose I should give it a try some time.
