Upcoming Chicago Trip

Next week, I am heading with the family to Chicago for Thanksgiving. Yeah, I know it is a time for family and turkey and all that, but personally I'm hoping to accomplish 4 goals.

1. Visit the Field Museum with my young paleontologist. Should be a great experience (especially since we don't have to pay anything extra because of our local museum membership).

2. Rest up for the home stretch. Usually, we go to my inlaws in Mississippi and I get lots of peace and quiet and a couple of naps. I doubt that the nap thing will happen, but I hope to get rest. That means not taking my laptop, not checking email, and not planning to do too much writing or grading while I'm there. Of course, I will try to write something. In fact...

3. Practice my travel writing before heading off to Europe next summer. In fact, this is probably the only trip I will take before then.

And finally...
4. Visit at least 1 used bookstore while in Chicago. I have three candidates based on a scan of the internet. Powell's (been there and it was pretty cool, but a bit pricey), Myopic (sounds quirky, and I'm not sure it will have what I want), or Bookman's Corner (ditto). Of course, my wife will just shake her head and wonder if I'm sick or something (perhaps), but I just can't see making a trip anywhere here in the US and not checking out the local used bookstore market. Blasphemy...

I'll keep you posted.

Upcoming stuff

Consider this a placeholder to remind me of the things I will hopefully add to this blog later.

1. I will be traveling to Chicago, Nashville, Rome, Paris, and a few other places over the next few months. In nearly every stop, I will endeavor to visit at least one (usually used) bookstore and will report on my travels when possible.

2. I also will report on my upcoming library rebuild project. I expect to put in new flooring, shelves, writing surfaces, and other new infrastructure. Of course, pictures will be included.

3. From time to time (as in nearly every week), I visit the local used book stores in the area -- this usually means my local Half Price Books locations. Scores reported here (and added to my LibraryThing database), especially unusual ones.

4. I have a few open reading projects, including the current one on the life and history of Albert Einstein (but not so much the physics itself) and the ongoing look at creativity. As I finish books in these subjects, I will review them here.

5. I will also review some unthemed books, post want list items, and add links to relevant subjects as I encounter them.

In other words, stay tuned!