Bookworm Has Bored One Too Many Holes In Their Home

Dear Tazi:

I am what people would call a bookworm. I love books, and I love reading them. I love they way books look on my bookshelves and I love the way I can just pull out an old favorite and start to read anytime I want, without having to go to the library. I love books. My problem is that I long ago ran out of places to put new books, but have continued to grow my collection. I have stacks of books on the floor next to my bookshelves, on top of the entertainment center, and even boxes of books in my attic!

I realize that I should probably get rid of some of the books that I have not read in a long time or did not enjoy as much as others; but my books, when added together, represent a financial investment worth thousands of dollars. I realize their resale value is nowhere near what I paid for them, so I hold onto them because I cannot justify throwing away something for which I originally paid so much and is still in good condition. Do you have any ideas on how I should handle my book storage problem?

Signed,
Bookworm

Dear Bookworm:

It is time to thin the herd and get rid of some of your books. This may sound like a painful process, but you mention that there are some books that you have not read in a long time or did not enjoy as much as others. You could start thinning your collection by going through these books and donating them to your local library, Salvation Army, or Goodwill Industries store. All three will give you a receipt for tax purposes, so you will not be "throwing away" something for which you paid good money and your donation will go to help others in need.

Once you have your book collection down to a reasonable size, you will have to work to make certain things do not get out of control again. There are a several options you could try:

1. For every new book you bring into the house, you must donate an old one.

2. You could start a book-share with your fellow bookworms, and lend or trade books you have read for books you have not read.

3. You could start to visit the local library, and instead of purchasing every book you want to read you could start borrowing from their collection. This option would even allow you to visit some of your old books.

4. You could buy an e-reader - they have come way down in price over the last few years, and the available options on them have greatly improved. The cost of e-books is anywhere from 50% - 75% off the cost of traditional books, with many ebooks available for free. If you are not certain that you would enjoy using an e-reader, that is another reason to visit your local library: many now offer e-readers and e-books on loan to patrons, so you could give one a trial run before investing.

5. You could try a combination of all of the above, which would mix the best of all worlds.

Happy reading, and thank you for including my column in your day!

Snuggles,
Tazi

Sometimes Marriage Isn't 50-50, Especially When It Comes To Closet Space

Dear Tazi:

My wife of one year is making me nuts.  She is what my Mom calls a "clothes horse".  "Tina" has enough clothes to fill our bedroom closet, the entire dresser, and half of the bureau drawers.  The only space I have for my clothes is about 25% of the closet, and that is only because I cram Tina's stuff over as far as it will go, which of course makes Tina complain that her stuff gets wrinkled that way.  What ever happened to all things being 50-50 in a marriage?

I have finally reached my breaking point because Tina came home with several bags full of new clothes this week.  She claims that she "needed a new fall wardrobe", but she hasn't gotten rid of any of the stuff she already has!  She asked me if I could fold my stuff and move it to the bureau to make room for her new clothes.  Tazi, I am not about to fold my dress shirts, sport coats, and pants!  I told Tina that if she did not have room for her clothes she would have to make room by getting rid of some things.

With Tina pouting the entire time, we went through every article of her wardrobe - and got rid of nothing!  I suggested we donate her clothes that are two sizes too small, but Tina insisted that they will fit again - just as soon as she goes on a diet.  Tina has clothes from the 1980's that she insists are "vintage" and have come back into style again.  Tazi, acid wash jeans will never make a comeback!

What do you think, readers?  Would you wear these...again?

Every time I tried to convince Tina to thin her wardrobe, she claimed that the piece of clothing I suggest she get rid of has "sentimental value" and that she "couldn't possibly part with it".  Tazi, am I the only guy with this problem?  How do other people handle the issue of pack-ratting clothes?

Signed,

Pushed Out

Dear Pushed Out:

I have seen acid wash jeans for sale online for a pretty penny!  Vintage clothing sells for even more.  Maybe if Tina knew how much money she could be making off of her old clothes she would find herself less sentimentally attached to them.  

It is a pity that your wife longingly holds onto clothes that are two sizes too small for her - especially since so many worthy causes like Dress for Success, Salvation Army, or Goodwill could use those clothes to help further their charitable programs.  Is Tina aware that her tax deductible donation would be going to help women who cannot afford to buy clothes?  Please try to convince your wife to thin out her wardrobe by suggesting she donate her excess to those who have so little.

If you cannot convince your wife to donate her clothes - and I have a feeling that she is going to be adamant about keeping them, since she sees nothing wrong with asking you to fold your articles of clothing that obviously should be hung - you may need to buy a clothing storage container for your wife.  Rubbermaid makes some excellent under-the-bed storage bins, as well as waterproof storage boxes that can be used to hold Tina's off-season, out-dated, and ill-fitting items.  

If you have the room for it, a cedar wood wardrobe or chest is an attractive way to store unused clothing out of sight.  If you cannot afford new, check Craig's List, Freecycle, or eBay for a great deal on one.  Once the clothes Tina is not wearing are out of your "shared" closet, you should discover that the area can be split in a more equitable manner.

Snuggles,

Tazi


Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Tazi's Corner #21 - Facebook Debate, Civility, and the Biggest Issue of All: What Are "Slacks"?

Dear Readers,

I do not usually poke around my Mommie’s Facebook page, except to see if she is posting any embarrassing pictures of me.  This week, I stumbled upon one of the stranger habits of you humans: debating the pointless and insolvable as a form of entertainment.  

Usually Facebook debates get quite nasty.  Participants generally do not know each other, so they have no qualms about offending a stranger.  Factual evidence is thrown to the wind as people support their argument with something they found on the Internet, and complete disregard is shown for the source by those looking to prove or debunk a point.  "The New England Journal of Medicine?  What do they know?"  This quote was an actual comment I read while perusing a Facebook debate on medical care.  Another favorite of mine is when people source commentators like Rush Limbaugh in their arguments.  The Rush Limbaugh Show is not considered reliable by standard journalistic practices.  Mr Limbaugh himself admits to being an "entertainer", not a journalist.  (Conservatives, please don't hate on me...I personally LOVE The New York Post, but would give my own Mommie a Paw Slap of Disgust if she cited them as a source of scholarly research!).

Anyhow, my distaste for Facebook debating was overcome this week when reading a debate about the definition of the word "slacks".  The debate below all started when Mommie reported having a dream that someone had stolen her “new tan slacks”, to which she has become quite attached.  (Note to self: Find said  tan slacks and barf on them, thus killing this attachment to something other than me!).  

Those slacks are gonna get decked, too!

It was over this status update that the debate over the definition of "slacks" started; it rolled over onto a friend’s page, where it continued in such a hysterical vein that I decided to share it with the world.  Without further ado, I present The Great Slacks Debate! Ready...set....GO!

Mommie’s Friend (the Moderator): OK - so I probably should NOT bring this up on Facebook, especially given the roll I am on lately with “effbee” fighting and controversial topics, BUT this one is SOOOO important and involves a really dear friend, so here goes: SLACKS = a pair of "fancy pants" for a woman....OR....something that someone over the age of 80 calls any waist-hip-thigh-leg covering??? (and please let's not bring up dungarees and just stay on topic) Thank You!!!

The responses ranged from the serious to the hysterical; a sampling is below:

• I call the suit pants I wear to work…slacks!! and I’m pretty cool so your friend must be cool too!!!  [Note from Tazi: My Mommie is da bomb!]

• Those a "Britches" in the South, son. 

• Haven't you ever worn slacks? I bet you do!! I bet you hide in the closet and glorify in your slacks collection!

• I picture slacks to be outdated with pleats and sold at Goodwill with stains

• Slacks are for grannies!!!!!

• Slacks are polyester and generally have an elastic - or adjustable - waist

• My slacks are a rayon cotton blend, no elastic waist, no stains, and rather expensive!

• I've only ever heard my Yankee Momma say the word slacks. Usually talking about nice dress pants....Or on Brides Maids referring to the mom as “Ham Slacks” bahahaha

• I wear dress slacks over my girdle but not when I take my bundles home from the supermarket. I also wear rubbahs on my shoes when it rains. They taught me that in the ol' country before I came here on a Cat-tle boat. [Note from Tazi: Most likely, only New Yorkers and New Englanders will get this joke...]

• OMG I have not heard dungarees in forever. That alone got me cracking up!

• I believe slacks are what you would buy in the slacks section at Ann and Hope or Woolworth's on your way home from the Five and Dime.

• The consensus at my house is that they are polyester pants worn by old people

Baby got slacks!

• …and you wear a blouse with slacks

• I don't think slacks are something just WORN by the elder generation ... I think any pant-like item touched by an elder magically becomes slacks. So you could go to the store and buy yourself some pants. Your grandmother goes to the same store, goes to the same aisle and buys the same item, but when she goes and gives them to you for your birthday... BAM!...they become slacks. "Here, I made you a sweater to go with these nice slacks."...I think the item of clothing in question undergoes some strange alchemical transformation in which your grandmother is some sort of unwitting magical agent.

• My grandma calls sweatshirts jerseys. I just needed to add that.

Mommie’s Friend (the Moderator): I think the results indicate that most believe the word "SLACKS" to be an antiquated term reserved for use by the Octogenarian-Ensure-swilling crowd.

My question for all those Facebook debaters out there is this: Why can’t all Facebook debate be so civilized?  

My question for all of you, dear readers, is this: What is YOUR definition of the word “slacks”?  Please post your thoughts in the comments section below (you can post anonymously)…this debate is too lively to let it end! Let's take it viral, so the world...may...KNOW!

Snuggles,

Tazi

P.S.  Someone posted a Photo-shopped picture of me in plaid slacks!  Know that the picture below is a FAKE!  No matter how many crunches I do, I could never get abs like that!

I prefer Puss in Boots "No Pants Pants"!

[UPDATE: An actual poll is now available on this site.  Click Here to go to the page directly].

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.