#My private Library

[sohmariku]

Riku's Random Life: Books (again)

I visited Leiden last Wednesday and I never noticed this before but...

How on earth did a single, roughly 1km long shopping street (Breestraat) end up with 7 bookstores!?

How on earth do all of those stores survive! Sure, some of them specialize in secondhand books and one is a comic book store, but... that's still 7 bookstores competing in a single street!

I only ended up visiting 4 or 5 of them and... I bought only one book I somewhat planned to get. My wallet absolutely hates me now.

Just saying, I was planning to get maybe two (or three) books. Depending on the prices.

Books I was looking for and considered to possibly buy if available:

The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman

Terciel & Elinor by Garth Nix

European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman by Theodora Goss

The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman

Visiting the stores I considered I might want to get:

The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix

Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs

What I ended up buying:

There is no dog by Meg Rosoff

Dear Reader by Cathy Rentzenbrink

Scarlet and Ivy: The Lost Twin by Sophie Cleverly

Scarlet and Ivy: The Whispers in the Walls by Sophie Cleverly

Papertowns by John Green

De Aardmagiër by Anne West

By the Grace of the Gods (Book 1-4) by Roy

Books 1-6 are all secondhand books, costing me roughly €6,5 a piece. Which is the only reason I could "afford" to get that many.

De Aardmagiër (#6) the one I sort of planned on getting, but did not expect to find. Owned it (and the other books of the series) at some point in time, but I cannot seem to find them anymore. I suspect one of my siblings may have claimed them. So, I'm trying to collect them again, because I absolutely loved the series as a child. Unfortunately, the books are hard to find.

By the Grace of the Gods I bought because they were priced down and came in at €6,5 a piece as well. I quite enjoyed the anime, so I figured I'd try the light novels.

UPDATE: I finished "The man who Died Twice". I am currently considering to finally pick up and read that copy of "Pride & Prejudice" I bought like 10 years ago and then never touched.

#Riku's Random Life #Books #My private Library

[marzipanandminutiae]

"dark academia isn't strictly academia; it's the AESTHETIC!"

please explain what the "aesthetic" of academia is, besides Actual University/Library Buildings and Relevant Accoutrements

like

how can academia have an Aesthetic when it's not an aesthetic concept? it's just the abstract idea of institutions of learning

I understand calling certain specific academic buildings "dark academia" and not others. it's an aesthetic WITHIN the sphere of academia

but if there's no academia...it literally can't be that

#aesthetics #mini-rant #this is specifically about seeing an old theatre tagged that on my dash (WHERE IS THE ACADEMIA?!) #but also people keep tagging Crimson Peak stuff 'dark academia' and like #not one single setting in that movie is academia. nobody goes to any sort of institution of learning #there's a private library I guess? so maybe that counts? but otherwise...No #learn the term Gothic or perish

[taldigi]

were there any pre canon concepts for adrien's/felix's room? i hate the canon one so much the layout confuses me

Afraid not. I think the closest we have is the information that Felix/ Adrian's family owned a hotel (this is before he was made into the villain's son.) A lot of early and even current ladybug is pretty focused around Marinette. Nathan-Felix-Adrien as a character is shockingly inconsequential to the narrative as a whole. (Which is probably why he was so easily edited throughout development whereas Marinette stayed pretty consistent.... And is also apparently still the case from what I've heard of the recent season.)

You can actually really see a lot of the inspiration that it transferred to the agreste mansion... But it also lost a lot of style and flair. Richard had a lot of art deco inspiration in the buildings associated with his character. And you can kind of see that in the hotel piece here. It's all connected, at least I believe it is.

It makes sense that the current one is frustrating. It's a mix between " oh this is what a fabulously wealthy teen boy would like" being full of video games and literal arcade machines, but still having like no personality? Like it's big. Because Adrian is rich. And it's like... Largely undecorated because Gabriel is like a minimalist or whatever... Except for all of the stuff that Adrian has because he's rich. And that's literally the end of it.

Edit: If I were to fathom a... A room that does line up with that hotel era then I would do something like this, except with more whites and golds rather than blue... Or just tailor it to however the cat's relationship to his father is.

#It's like go one way or the other man #is he overprotected and not allowed to express himself? then give him the bare bones room with nothing but the bookshelves. #or is he spoiled and sheltered where he can literally do whatever the fuck he wants to his apartment-sized room. #I never particularly like depicting Felix as a character who benefits from his father's wealth #largely because I'm caught between that crossroad of not really wanting to depict a rich character #but also you can't divorce that from Felix's narrative and still indulge in him being related to Richard #my favorite depiction is that sure his family is rich. But his father is also incredibly strict. #Felix gets the bare minimum. he gets a room. he gets a bed. he gets a desk. And because Rich is a generous soul... A bookshelf #but this isn't your house boy. And if you want to live here then you have to live by my rules and you have to fulfill my requirements #he has no rights to privacy. he has no rights to a space of his own. he has no rights to pick his hobbies. not while he's living there #and it's all painted in that bright white because if anyone's going to be a minimalist it's going to be Richard Sphinx #no wonder Felix likes to escape into books or hide at the library or spend his time in the park #no wonder he takes so easily to being chat when his life is like this #in Stark contrast to private Jets and literal yacht vacations and the best toys that daddy's money can buy energy that Adrian gives off

[meowmeowuchiha]

Not gonna lie

I'm far more curious and excited for the new book than I am for the movie

This is about borderlands btw

#Borderlands #Granted I haven't pre-ordered the book and I don't plan to #But I'm still far more interested in that than I am the movie #Maybe I should see if I can request it at my local library..... #I also privately think it's kinda funny that Anthony Burch is the one who wrote it #Like did gearbox rope him back into this bc of how divisive borderlands 3 was and how hard new tales flopped #Did he volunteer for this #How'd this happen

[dorkicon]

bitching abt my job again

tags contain frank mentions of transphobia and homophobia

#this happened like. i dont know. a month ago or something but i still keep playing it in my mind #for those unawares: theres been a fucking community outrage over the pride display at the library i work at #and have been working/volunteering at for 5 years #only it never went up. it never went up. bc the mayor came in as a quote unquote private citizen and demanded it taken down #despite the fact that patrons are required to fill out complaint sheets and even then it isnt ensured a display will be taken down #so obviously its a misuse of power that hes spinning into him being a concerned citizen #and i made a whole post bitching abt it and im doing so again (hi) bc i didnt like how our director responded to it #and yeah. so there was a board meeting after that right. well i set up for them as i usually do and let me tell you. that was the first #--time more than like 6 people came to spectate. it was insane. #and i guarantee that this months meeting wont have half as many people that fucking crammed themselves in there to complain abt gay ppl #bc of course they dont give a shit about the library #they just care about how scary the queers are #and yeah it was a shit show. i learned we have a far right organization in our town #and i was sat right in front of her husband the whole time #(standing actually. i was standing between him and my moms chair and he was sighing and grumbling the whole time bc he couldnt muster the #--balls to ask the 5 foot 2 fag in front of him to please move lol. small victories right) #when i say her i mean the leader of the freaks. idk. chairman? anyway she had a whole speech about how like queers are bad and cutting #the penises off little babies or whatever and she pulled up this passage from a book that was part of the display #its some book by the youtuber rowan ellis-- here and queer i think was the title. it was cataloged in our ya section and contained passages #talking about like having safe sex and what dildoes are and all that kind of shit. just really clinical descriptions imo. im not familiar w #--the youtuber really but im assuming they wrote it as informational bc shocker: teens be having sex. unsafe sex. especially queer teens #sourse: i was one of tgose #and...think for a moment. remember when you were a teen. youd rather fucking DIE than listen to your parents give you the sex talk #and chances are if youre gay your parents arent even going to know WHAT gay sex is (hugging without shirts on) so youre going to look #--elsewhere #bc if youre a hormonal fucking teen youre going to figure it out one way or another! especially if youre from (cough) a podunk shitwater #--town like mine that ran on abstinence by way of sex education #i think teens deserve to have access to that sort of information through trusted means. and i do mean het teens too #but no these fucking morons put on airs like everyones waiting till marriage--no! not my becky sue! as if they werent fucking around in #--holy shit i reached taglimit. i didnt ecen know there was one. hold on

[post-futurism]

i said to my partner that when/if we own our own house i need a room that has a lock on it so i can write in there and he looked at me and said "that is such an only child thing to say" and so what if it is? a writer needs their privacy and solitude in which to write. 

#something something virginia woolf #anyway when he says things like this it does make me despair a little #is it unreasonable to want a lock so that he doesn't burst in when im in the middle of thought #the alternative is going to the library but my town's library isn't open late at night #there are not many qualities i dislike in him but i do not like his continual invasion of my private time #i deal with it in my own ways and a lock would help #but i do wonder if I'm being unfair #he isn't a creative so I'm not sure he understands #i think it's troubling that he would be invasive to his siblings like that too #which i know he does #anyway idk

[cas---2y5]

i think if john and gabriel met there'd be a weird sexual tension that would ruin sam's life. like they'd either met before when john was hunting solo (pre or post stanford) or its their first time meeting and sam does like an awkward little introduction which is then significantly less awkward by comparison to the energy that just entered the room. like. the kind of sexual tension that absolutely just sucks the life out of a room and leaves no space for anything else. and then later sam would have to be like, very seriously, "Gabriel. Do you wanna fuck my dad?" and gabriel denies it but like a little too much. Sam would kick one of them out of the bunker, he'd have to for his own sanity.

#like they would have a mutual respect for each other i think #and they'd do that weird little private half smile to each other #and sam would think about taking the sword from the bunker library and running himself through on it #just to stop experiencing whatever the fuck is going on between gabriel and his OWN FATHER #i can't tell if this is funnier if sam and gabriel are in a relationship or if they aren't #idk where these thoughts are coming from #perhaps i need to check my home for mold or a gas leak

[sohmariku]

Riku's Random Life: Books

Long overdue, but I finally started cataloging all the books we own... because truly, what's more blissful than leafing through books to check the page count? Or the translator's name? The publisher? (I stopped recording copyright years and edition information at some point because the list got too messy)

To be honest, I decided it was about time after I realized I bought a book I already owned... Still, I'm quite enjoying the process. Leafing through books and recording the information is quite blissful.

And now, after hours of work... I've finally finished listing down all the books... of the first bookcase... A whopping total of 251 books! Oh, and I also cataloged the 7 books floating around my living room! So, that's a list of 258 books in total!

Just 3 more bookcases to go. They admittedly aren't full as the one I started with, but I'm suspecting I'll end up with more than 500 books in total! That's a pretty decent number I suppose. xD

FYI, when I say books, I mean... novels.I have a separate list for all the manga we own. Children's picture books have also not been included in this list (yet). However, there are a few guide bookish books included in the list.

Some notable observations:

We own books in three different languages: Dutch, English & Japanese. (The single French picture book I own is not included on the list yet.)

We do not own a full set of Harry Potter books in any language. In Dutch we miss book 1 & 2. In English we miss book 3 & 4. And in Japanese we miss book 5 to 7. (I'm absolutely sure I owned book 1 & 2 in Dutch, but it seems they went missing at some point. Maybe one of my siblings has them?)

We do have full sets of Lord of the Rings in multiple languages. A full Dutch set and a full English set. We also have doubles of some books.

We own 4 copies of the Hobbit. Two in English, one in Dutch and one in Japanese. (And we also have a graphic novel version!)

I realized I still haven't bought all Narnia books! Even though I said I would... nearly 15 years ago! (I have read all books however, I borrowed them from our public library at some point)

There are roughly 50 books in this bookcase I have not read, but still want to read. About half of them are Agatha Christie books.

The list of books I want to buy has only grown longer! (You evil publisher's, don't add recommendations at the end of a book! You'll make me want to buy more books! I don't have the money for that!)

BONUS: I'm currently reading "The Man who Died Twice" by Richard Osman, which is the second book in the "The Thursday Murder Club" series. I'm only a 100 pages in, but... I absolutely love it! Gotta get the other books of the series too! Seems the fourth book will be released soon.

#Riku's Random Life #Books #My Private Library

[rabbits-of-negative-euphoria]

i will support public libraries when the ALA terminates their stupid Bill of Rights

#- HK #until then I will not lift a finger to help defend or preserve public libraries #I will direct my attention to private libraries #mobile #x #respublica

[unable2sitstill]

AYYYYYYYY BLACK BUTLER SCHOOL ARC ANIME CONFIRMED

FAG MOMENT FAG MOMENT FAG MOMENT

#God this arc rocked #Got to read it right when I came out #Real fag moment #(jsyk they use that word for like the kouhai squire servant underclassmen at the private school) #black butler #kuroshitsuji #my manga section at the library era is coming BACK TO THE SCREEN

[green-planets]

So guess who made more StEx ocs...

Gilda is a private car. She loves pampering her close friends and being pampered in return. Rosé wine and dark chocolate are some of her favorite treats to indulge in. She does have some trust issues from people taking advantage of her kindness, but she is extremely loyal to her friends. She and BV might have had a little fling in the past.

Penn used to be a passenger car but has since been retired and converted into a library. He sometimes misses traveling, but that hole in his heart has been mostly filled by the patrons who read stories to him. He's also Angus's ex-boyfriend. How they even got together in the first place was a mystery to most.

Side note: Penn's not that short, Gilda is just super tall!

*click for better quality*

#starlight express #stex ocs #gilda the private car #penn the library car #my art

[sad--tree]

i have GOT 2 just suck it up and start forcing myself 2 leave the house and Do Things and Be Social like YES. OKAY. it takes at Minimum an hour to bus anywhere in the city and somehow usually even longer 2 bus back home BUT im still only being scheduled for a ghastly 16 hours of work a week so!!! wtf else am i doing with my time!! answer: NOTHING!!! and it's AWFUL!!!

#even just. walking 5 minutes to the library of all places. #i could do stuff at home but that would require me 2 unfuck my bedroom to a degree which i have proved incapable of. unfortunately. #it is. rough. being a wholeass adult. with all of approx. 10'x10' of private space 2 inhabit and hold all ur stuff #and my parents are retired so theyre Always always alwayyyyssssssss home. they dont even travel anymore bc of covid. #i shouldnt complain bc im in a vastly more secure abd comfortable situation than loads of other ppl #but its frustrating. and the sheer impossibility of moving out given the state of the rental market vs my underemployed ass is. depressing.

[mako-mahko]

all books should be free and available everywhere, actually

#AND NOT TRAPPED IN PRIVATE LIBRARIES AT UNIVERSITIES #this is about the fact that a book i want to read is only in one library in my entire state that isn't in a private university library #and it's not anywhere online #AND ON EBAY ITS 450 DOLLARS AND ABOVE #actual hell #anyway support your local libraries folks

[abyssalpriest]

honestly im gonna stop apologising and start saying if you want to understand the kings and the Void on a visceral level, play bloodborne. ideally invite lev to play with you he loves bloodborne its his baby

and when i say that i mean either ask him to fucking help you get through it because hes very fuckin good at the game, or ask him to talk to you through it like just go on a fucking journey and listen to him and you will find out shit you never dreamed of

#ramblings // #just do not get sucked in or do i mean im not here to stop you but like. the kings have really addicting spiralling insanity inducing #energies - thats me telling you not that their energies are that but that somewhere. locked in their personal bedrooms. in their closets. #privately. they have energies tucked away that you fucking /see/ in bb #heres the thing. you play the game? you dont get it. you FEEL the game and cant understand it from reality? you get it #and its hard af to get Out of getting it but like #if you want to understand the library you have to understand it through the gods and not through the false fictional idols #that are using it as a facade #also! be careful because my ex is also one of the spirits channelled into it and who listens to calls from people's energies when #they reach out to the game lmfao they have ties and triggers and spell-esque spiritual stuff like an Attempt at a spiders web #to reach out to people who get into it. if you know the kings and know youre talking to them. then. thats the only time like #be extremely fucking careful and journey WITH them - im gonna personally say only do this w lev but thats bc i dont #get along w indra and lu for Reasons lmfao but maybe you do get along w them - its. it is an opportunity. when you fall into it #you will know but for gods sake only fall in with one of the kings you already trust extremely holy shit

[yallwildinrn]

Local girl exhausted from reading singular textbook chapter. Is forced to spend rest of night studying for tax exam.

#dear diary #I’m so tired #mostly bc that textbook is FUCKING AWFUL #and I’ve got something going on in my head that makes studying in private hard #I wish there was a good library that was close by #alas #and now I have So Much studying to do #would’ve started sooner but The Horrors hit #I’m being whiny #but that’s what tumblr is for #at least mine lmao

[error404vnotfound]

I WAS GONE FOR 3 HOURS TO GET LUNCH AND GO TO CLASS

CAME BACK TO THE LIBRARY TO WORK

WOMAN STILL TALKING ON THE PHONE

GIRL I GET IT YOU ARE WORKING. GET A FUCKING PRIVATE STUDY ROOM DUDE IT AINT ROCKET SCIENCE

#LIKE WHY WOULDN'T YOU. GET A PRIVATE ROOM #INSTEAD OF TALKING ALOUD. AT A FUCKING. COLLEGE LIBRARY #I HEAR YOU THOROUGH MY NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES PLUS MUSIC #v why don't you say anything to her #you see i have social anxiety i cant do that