The Library

Not the British Library or some other fancy library, but your local neighborhood library - why don't people use it more often?

There's tons of people who don't have internet at home, and they all flock to the neighborhood cafes and whatnot to use the internet. Only problem is that you have to pay for overpriced coffee drinks and risk getting the evil eye from baristas who wish that you would leave already. Never mind the fact that some of these establishments don't even have free internet so you have to end up paying T-mobile or whatever for access.

The library, on the other hand, has free internet access, and it also has computers that you can use if you don't feel like lugging your laptop around. I must say that carrying my Macbook around is making me a bit nostalgic for the law school days. Even though I've weakened considerably - I used to carry around a giant laptop and at least four casebooks in high heeled boots in freezing cold weather on snowy sidewalks like it was no thing. Now, walking half a mile with just my skinny little laptop in what can only be called a contemporary muumuu makes me sweat and wheeze like a middle-aged man having a heart attack. This can't be good.

The other great thing about libraries is that you can borrow books for free. Don't get me wrong, I love books, and I love buying books. But there's a reason why you buy books - so you can read them over and over again at your leisure because they're that good. But what about those books that you never need to read more than once? Although amusing, it's not like novels by Sophia Kinsella and Lauren Weisberger are classics you'll want to read time and again. And what about those books that are just plain bad, so you get all angry that you spent your hard-earned money on something you didn't even want to finish? Alice Sebold, I'm talking to you. What the hell was Almost Moon all about?

Maybe it's time for you to visit your local library. Unless you live in Long Beach or downtown LA - I've visited both, and let's just say that those libraries don't smell so good. Unless you're kind of freaky and like eau de urine.