Downsizing Books – Can It Be Done?

/ Ben Starling

What are we doing?
Here‘s the decision tree I‘m training the Can Opener to use on his books…

  1. Has the Can Opener read the book?

  • If, yes… 
    • is it sentimental?
      • childhood book
      • gift
      • favourite book
      • or actually written by a friend? 
    • Or is it a reference text?
      • sailing
      • finance
      • language text or dictionary
      • travel guide
      • …


    • Sentiment and reference, he can keep.
    • All else gets donated to the library (or if they won’t take it, the local youth hostel).


2. Has the Can Opener EVER read the book?

    • If not read… — whaaaaaattt???? Why has my hard earned catfood been spent on this??!!!
    • Will he ever read this?
      • If yes, then go to 1.
      • If no, then it gets donated. End of story.

Progress
You‘d think I‘d asked the Can Opener to put wax on his legs and then rip it off before he went cycling again. 


But despite all the yelping and anguish, we are making progress.


And it feels good to donate to the library. Our local biblio-rama is desperately in need of more business tomes and books of every kind.


I even plan to donate my beloved Encyclopedia of Feline Karate Bo, by Sensei Hiro Nekko. I‘ve already learned all the foundation moves anyway and am working on the ‘Intermediate‘ sequel.




It‘s aaaaall got to fit in a boat that‘s 30 feet or less. We’re on our way…

–Captain Cat


(transcribed by the Can Opener)


Downsizing
Next: Managing Food Inventory
Previously: Downsizing Papers That Breed



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